


Empires Fall

by R_Miranda



Series: Empires Can And Will Fall [1]
Category: Narcos (TV), Narcos: Mexico (TV), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, The AU no one asked for, This is what happens when you see all seasons of narcos in less than a week, Why Did I Write This?, because why not?, cassian is a druglord, half of everyone is bad, its the 80s just until the 90s, jyn is a dea agent, k-2so is a human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2019-10-11 10:18:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 94,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17445026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_Miranda/pseuds/R_Miranda
Summary: He knew his history. He knew what happened to people like him. He knew it was gonna happen. It always did. And he wasn’t gonna be an exception.It happened.Empires fall.Sooner or later.But he wasn’t worried about it. He knew his empire was gonna fall.His goal was to stay on top as long as he could. And he wasn’t afraid to show it.





	1. 1978

 

* * *

“Mejor morir de pie que vivir arrodillado.”

—Emiliano Zapata. 

* * *

 

_In the early 80s, there was a man who ruled the Cocaine, Weed and Heroin business. And that man was Cassian Andor, the twenty-six years old Mexican who hadn’t waste any time in getting his dream to a reality. He was a man of many faces and many secrets. Taking him out was the number one priority of the DEA. Of Jyn Erso, who was obsessed with his cartel._

_The Guadalajara Cartel._

 

* * *

**Guadalajara , 1978**

“Échele pa’ tras, mijo!” A man yelled as the truck was parking on reverse. “Damn it, Solo, can’t you park like any man?”

The man behind the wheel laughed. A laugh that only a millionaire could make. “Andor, Andor. Calm down, hombre. The product is safe and the cops didn’t stop me all the way here.” He finally found a way to park and turn off the ignition. 

“Of course they didn’t stop you. I paid them. They work for me, dumbass.” Cassian Andor said as he began opening the truck. “If they did, their families would be dead.”

Solo got off the truck and walked towards Cassian, he then proceeded to give him the keys and his trademark smile. “Ahora que lo pienso, there was a cop who looked at me funny.”

Andor rolled his eyes as he took the keys. “Grab your friend and a couple of men and get me all of this to the warehouse, now.”

Solo did a hand gesture. “Como ordené, Jefe!” And he was out of the picture. 

_Han Solo was the best of the best. A born smuggler. Through out his career, he smuggled thousands and thousands of shipments of Coke to the US without even getting caught. His cocky personality made him a disirable man for the woman and his ruthless methods made him a dangerous man. Wanted by all the DEA._

Cassian mumbled something along the lines of ‘dumbass’ and ‘genius’. He walked to his car and sighed. The day was already stressful as it was, and yet there was more. He got in and turned the ignition, he put his sunglasses on and drove away. 

It had been six months since they left Sinaloa and moved to Guadalajara. It had been six months of trial and today was the day he could show the other traffickers his improvement over the shipments and price of the product. He could show them that working all together could benefit everyone. Especially him. 

He drove the streets of Guadalajara in a hurry, he was needed elsewhere and afterwards, he needed to be sure everything was in place for the banquet. Everyone was attending, the governors of other states, deputies, traffickers, police, everyone Cassian needed to make his business work. He was not going to let his dream go down the trash for some unplanned events. He needed to get everything ready. 

_Cassian Andor, better known as “El Hombre de Negocios” The Business Man. He was the golden boy of the Narcos world. He saw what others didn’t and he improved what others made. At just twenty-six years of age, he accomplished what no one thought could be accomplished: A whole organization of traffickers. A cartel._

~~~~~~~~His phone suddenly went off as he pulled in a stop. He looked down and took the call.

“Bueno?”

”Cassian!” The voice of his best friend and business partner rang from the other side. “We have news.”

Cassian sighed. “What kind of news, Kay?”

Kay cleared his throat. “Bad news, if you could say.”

”Did any of the traffickers pulled out?”

”No, no todos están de acuerdo. It’s more of international news.” Kay cleared his throat. “DEA news.”

Cassian snorted at that. 

Yes, he knew the DEA had been following his tail for a while. But it didn’t worry him. The DEA was an a American organization which had no power in Mexico. They were sent to watch and report any unusual activities involving the traffickers but to act on such intel, they had to ask the Mexican government permission. And just Cassian’s luck, he paid the government for their silence.

”What happened to our favourite gringos?”

”A new agent came in today. From California, the informant said. Not much is known of the new agent except that.”

The light went green but Cassian stayed put. There was no one behind him and he needed to think. A new DEA agent could mean two things. Either the organization was finally seeing the whole picture and realizing that the whole system was corrupt or a newbie decided to join the action. Either way, the DEA was gonna lose. But as the careful man Cassian Andor was, he decided not to take any chances. 

“Mira, keep an eye on the agent. Tell me if there’s anything worth my time. Right now everything’s need to be perfect so this stays between us two.”

”And what about my informant?” Kay asked. 

“Kill him.”

He hung up and continued driving. 

* * *

_Jyn Erso wasn’t your typical DEA enforcement. She had a passion, a drive to do the right thing. She was ambitious and she believed in justice. That’s why when a job opening came, she was the first to throw her self into it. Of course, she didn’t have the minor idea what door she had just knocked. Better say, who’s._

She thought Mexico was a beautiful country with such beautiful culture. She had only been there once before and that was when she was a little girl. Now, she was a woman determined to fight the bad guys and bring them to justice. 

Guadalajara had such nice weather. Just at the west coast of the country. It was such a shame that beautiful city was becoming a cockroach hole for the traffickers to build their empires. 

When she first saw the department she was gonna work, the first thing that came into her mind was ‘could be better’. It was a big place, of course. With windows everywhere and desks all around but the action? The men and women who worked there didn’t seem so determined to win the fight. 

She shook that feeling away as she walked to the secretary. 

“Hi, um, Jyn Erso? Mrs. Mon Mothma’s new agent?”

The secretary gave her a warm smile. As she was expecting her to say that. “Of course, Mrs. Mothma is waiting for you down the hallway.”

Jyn returned the smile and a ‘thanks’ just as she headed to her boss office. 

It wasn’t such a walk. It was just a few minutes away from the entrance. 

“Ah, Agent Erso.” Mon Mothma said. “Welcome to Guadalajara.”

A man, a hard-looking man was with her. He didn’t say anything and just looked at her as he was studying her. 

“Happy to be here.” Jyn commented.

Mon Mothma looked at the man and then at Jyn. “This is General Draven. He works over the embassy and comes time to time to give us news.”

”Nice too meet you, sir.” 

Draven just grunted as a sign of politeness. 

“I hope you like it here, as you can see, we are not much but we work with what we have.” Mon Mothma smiled. 

“If we’re giving our all, it can suffice.” She meant it. 

“What do you know about the trafficking business here in Mexico?”

Jyn shrugged. “The basics. I know there’s small territories called plazas. I also know the Mexicans are not well-organized which could work in our favour.”

Draven snorted at that comment because it was true. Those Mexicans couldn’t even hide their weed good. They fought and killed each other without reason. Beasts trying to act like men. 

“Indeed, that could work in our favour. But be careful about what you say outside this building, the Mexicans don't like the Americans even if we help them. Those drug lords have brainwashed the people and few are loyal to us." Draven spat in disgust as if the Mexicans betrayed them, even if they never said they were loyal.

"I understand." Said Jyn. "And I'll be careful. So, when do we start?"

Draven smiled and it was an ugly smile, on that showed mockery. "Are going to tell her or am I?"

"Tell me what?"

Mon Mothma cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable by the sudden turn of events. "You see, the DEA is a guest here, we don't have any power to make arrests, we can't get involved in such things like they do in California. The best we can do is observe and inform the Mexican government, they will send the information to Washington and hope they'll let us do something."

Draven snorted again, he knew the system wasn't the best but this was another country, one they were just simple guests.

Jyn understood, too. And that's when she knew why those agents were not determined. The DEA was just observing and waiting, they couldn't do anything than wait. That was not Jyn's style. "Oh."

Mon Mothma knew how the newbie felt. "Don't worry, Agent Erso, just be patient and you'll see results."

Jyn wondered if they would ever see results that way. She will need another plan, if she ever wanted to bring those dirt-bags to justice. 

* * *

"Why did you need me here again?" Cassian groaned and he thanked God the sunglasses didn't let his eyes show the annoyance he felt.

The other man, seemed amused and scared about his boss's reaction, he knew him for a while but he was still afraid of what he could do under pressure. 

"We need to get more containers, Boss. The supplies are beginning to overthrow the containers, it seems like Kay's weed ranch is paying off. But without more containers, we would lose 5% of our profits."

"I can't afford to lose more than 3% of our profits, Kes. Those old vultures will try to find a flaw in our system and will defend the plazas again." Cassian sighed. "Mijo, go and buy the containers, alright? Hard problems usually have easy solutions." He smiled.

_Kes Dameron was Andor's voice and ears when it came to material that was needed. He supervised the shipments trajectory and punished anyone that failed to deliver or lost the product by killing their families. He was so good at his job that it was a fact that if Andor fired him, his profits would drop. And the son of a bitch knew that, he trusted Kes because the kid had earned it._

“Como diga, Patrón.” Kes smiled. “You’re getting fancy for the dinner?”

Cassian laughed. “Don’t worry, mijo, I’m always gonna be from Sinaloa, not even the green paper can change that.”

”I know, Boss. Thanks again for providing the money for the containers.”

He was going to walk away when Cassian grabbed him by the shoulder. It wasn’t a friendly gesture but it wasn’t a rude gesture either. It was more like a father when they know their kid did wrong. 

“And tell your girlfriend congrats for me, will you?” Cassian’s tone had undergone a change. It was low and dangerous but could be interpreted as wise advice. 

Kes smiled confusedly. “No entiendo, Patrón.”

Cassian smiled back, although his eyes showed no kindness. “For the pregnancy, of course. Now more than ever you should work, right?”

Kes’s eyes had no longer any trace of confusion or amusement. They were frightened. “Yes, Boss. You’re right.” He could control his voice, however. 

Cassian cleared his throat and the whole moment was gone. His eyes now showed kindness again and went along his smile. “Well, I should keep going, I got to visit Kay before going to the Hotel.”

Kes nodded. “Thanks again, Boss.”

He couldn’t begin to understand. How could he known? He and Shara had been very specific and strict over telling anyone about the pregnancy. Hell, they haven’t even told Shara’s parents because they knew it would put them in disadvantage. How could Cassian Andor know when they had only talked with each other about that?

“Thanks to you, Kes. You’re very important for this organization and you know that. Thanks to you, the gringos are very happy with their weed.”

Cassian then patted Kes on the shoulder before leaving the warehouse. He had other business to attend now, a quick visit to Kay and then off to check the final touches of the banquet he had worked so hard for. 

The message was very simple:  _I know your weakness and I know your secrets, one wrong move and they’ll get it_.

Cassian was building an Empire and he needed to make something very clear for the people who worked there. 

He was Boss and they worked for him. 


	2. The Business Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months before, Cassian Andor was a young man with a dream. Six months before, he had the drive to make his dream a reality.

_Cassian Andor was born the 29th December of 1952. Ever since he was little, he dreamt of what could be instead of what it was. He knew what he wanted in life and he was not afraid to get his hands dirty, or get others hands dirty for him._

**Six months before.**

Well, fuck. 

That was the word that could interpreted the whole situation and Kay decided to go with that word. 

Well, fuck. 

Being trapped in a goddamn church with half of the army outside, threatening to blast the doors open if he didn’t come outside in three seconds wasn’t exactly the best situation he could’ve get himself in. 

Statistically, it was impossible to get outside in three seconds but Kay wasn’t going to tell that to the army. He just hoped that the power of God was enough so they wouldn’t blast the fucking doors off the church. 

“Kay, sal porque nos van a matar.” Father Rodrigo exclaimed. “I have total faith in God but I don’t want to meet him yet.”

”The whole fields are gone! They killed dozens of us. If I give myself in, they would kill all of you, too. It’s the most logical decision.” Kay said and of course he has to add math to the sentence to make it logical. 

What was the real problem was the army outside. And everywhere in Sinaloa. Turns out, his government wanted to throw a bone to their masters, The United States. So, they put a plan in action, they ordered the army to burn all the fields, arrest the traffickers and give the people a lesson. Kay was lucky to escape the army before they burnt his little field but of course, he wasn’t lucky when he went visiting his old friend. 

Well, fuck. 

“If you don’t turn yourself in three seconds, we’ll blast this church to Heaven itself!” The general yelled. 

The people began muttering and panic was beginning to set in. Even Kay himself was beginning to think of the endless simulations in which this could end with all of them dead. It wasn’t what Kay wanted to think in his final moments. 

He then heard a few voices outside discussing and then the door began to open. He knew it was his death. The fucking army wasn’t gonna blast the doors of the fucking church. No, they were gonna kill every single person and leave the church intact. 

“Soy yo, cabrón.” He heard the rough voice of his best friend and Kay sighed in relief. 

“Cassian, thank God. You’re here. The odds of surviving this shit has increased a 4% now.”

”How about a hundred percent?” Cassian smiled. “Vamos, I’ll get you out of here but you’re gonna have to follow my lead.”

_Believe or not, Cassian Andor came from a family of policemen. He was in his way to become a policeman but the other side won him over. Can you believe that son of a bitch could’ve been a great policeman? I could._

“Just don’t hit me that hard.” Kay insisted. “I need my hands to work in the fields.”

Cassian said nothing. He grabbed Kay’s arms and with a rough move, he managed to lift him up. He then proceeded to take his gun and point it to Kay’s head. And that shit was loaded. He pushed him to walk and Kay already knew this wasn’t gonna go as smooth as he wanted. 

When they got out, the whole army was speechless. Kay had to contain a smirk. A fucking nobody had just delivered who they couldn’t. 

“¿Quién chingados eres tú?” The general asked. 

Cassian hit one of Kay’s legs and made him kneel. “I’m Cassian Jeron Andor, pa’ servirles.”

Kay’s arms was getting pulled way back and he began to feel some certain discomfort. Then, Cassian pulled his head back and the gun was pointed again at his head. The good and bad thing Cassian had was that urge to play the part. He was an amazing actor, so good it made Kay wondered if he would pull the trigger. 

“This is Kay Tuesso. He’s one of those rats who worked for Pedro Áviles. He’s one of this trusted friends. He knows where the fields are, don’t you, Kay?”

_Kay Tuesso was the second in command. He was the person who Andor trusted the most. He used logic and math to make his fields grow in the middle of the fucking dessert. He made the marijuana business a whole new shit. With his no seed marijuana, the shipments could contain more and the profits would increase. Andor saw that and he turned it into his goal._

”I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sir.” Kay answered with pain. 

Cassian hit him in the head with the gun’s handle and Kay groaned in pain as the blood began to fall down his face. 

“Let me ask you again, mijo.” Cassian whispered loud enough so the others could hear. “Where are the goddamn fields?”

”I don’t know.”

Cassian hit him in the throat and Kay began coughing, he couldn’t breathe and the pain was blinding him. 

“Chingados, one more time. Where the hell are those fields?” Kay heard the click of the gun’s safety and knew Cassian actually meant it. 

He sighed. “In the mountains, señor. They’re in the mountains, two kilometres away the river. But I swear I don’t know more.”

Cassian smiled, content for what he did. 

The General nodded. “Un policía Sinaloense. Who the Hell knew you guys actually had guts?”

Cassian cleared his throat. “Thanks, Sir. Can I take this one to the station?”

”Of course, we have more fields to burn. This man can rot in jail. Go knowing you just helped the Mexican government win this fight.”

”Gracias, general.” He then looked at Kay and kicked him as a sign of standing up. Kay groaned and stood up just as Cassian pulled him roughly to the backseat of his car. 

Once they were both inside and Cassian had put some distance between the army and themselves. Kay found the perfect moment to complain.

”Did you have to hit me that hard, you asshole?”

Cassian shrugged as he drove. “We need to sell the act. You know the army, they’ll need to see traffickers bleed.”

”I think you oversold it. I mean, you didn’t have the safety on your gun. Where you going to pull the trigger?”

”Claro que no, Key. I need you for this dream to come true. And you’re my best friend, you might be annoying with your calculations and shit like that but I would never kill you.”

Kay grunted as an answer and looked from the window as they drove. The streets were covered in trash, homes were completely destroyed. Innocent people who had nothing to do with the business had lost it all because the government wanted to show the gringos that they had everything under control. They would never realize that the business was sometimes the only income the poor ranchers could get. 

“Look at what they did to the town, Cassian. Those sons of bitches have destroyed every single thing. It’s over, man. It’s over.”

”From every crisis, an opportunity is born, Kay. This is sad and of course it angers me but remember, we will change the business with your no-seed.”

”And what about the others? Pedro won’t be too happy when he finds out about this.”

_Pedro Áviles was an old school traffickers. He was the biggest one in Sinaloa. He hated people who even began thinking they had the same chances as he. Cassian had met him once and ever since then, he knew Pedro didn’t like him at all. He saw him as a threat and Cassian was indeed, a threat._

”Baze will help us. And don’t worry, I have a plan.” Cassian said. 

“Baze Malbus will help us? Have you meet the old rag? He’s been friends of Áviles since childhood. It would be betraying his family if he comes to our side.”

Cassian stopped the car in front of a house which didn’t seem as destroyed like the others. He smiled from the rearview. “But Chirrut? If I get to befriend Chirrut, Baze would follow him like the wonderful husband he is. I don’t need to befriend all the pawns in my game, only those who I really need. The others will come naturally.”

Kay furrowed his eyebrows. “Am I part of your pawns?”

Cassian shook his head immediately. “Of course not, Kay. You’re my best friend, you’re my partner. Now come, I had a plan before the army came into the house, privileges of being the son of a police officer.”

* * *

 

“This has to stop.” Baze Malbus said.

Pedro Áviles had urged every trafficker in Sinaloa to come meet him. It was an emergency meeting. They had to regroup and come up with solutions. Baze Malbus, one of Pedro’s best friends and close advisor was right. This had to stop, if the government kept burning their fields, they would be out of business. 

“What do you suggest we do?” A man sneered. “Ask the army to kindly fuck off?”

Baze glared at him. “Pues no, pendejo. But we need a new strategy. This can’t go for long. We’ll be out business before we can even realize it.”

Pedro knew but he didn’t have an answer. That frustrated him and angered him, something he used against his partners. “Well, you fuckers, did you even try to defend the fields or did you run like the pussies you are?”

Chirrut Îmwe cleared his throat. He was blinded by the soldiers when Baze and he tried to defend their field. They lost the field but Baze killed a few men out of anger and revenge. For his husband’s eyes. Chirrut didn’t like violence and had told Baze it was fine but Baze never listened. 

Pedro knew that and he looked down, then he reminded himself why he was angry. “Well, I still see many of you fuckers with two eyes. Why didn’t you defend the fields?”

Han Solo, a cocky smuggler sighed. “Well, maybe because it was the fucking army? We might be traffickers but we do value life.”

Pedro was about to grab his gun and put an end to Solo’s sarcastic comments when another voice was added to the conversation. It was the voice of someone who he hated. Cassian Andor. He was making his way through the crowd with his best friend Kay Tuesso following his tail. 

“Señores, buenas.” He greeted them politely. “I couldn’t but overhear the conversation and I thought that I could offer a different perspective.”

Baze snorted. “The perspective of an ex-cop.” He then laughed. 

The whole crowd began laughing with him. Cassian never liked being mocked but he couldn’t do much as of right now. “Ey, I was a cop. But that is in the past.”

Pedro looked at him and studied his words. “What do you want? To complain with this assholes?”

That was the opening Cassian needed. “No, I didn’t come here to complain. I’m here to resolve your problems and my problems. To innovate.”

Pedro snorted. “Oh, the ex-cop will tell us what to do, what a shocker.”

Cassian nodded. “The Army is a fucking joke. The whole operation is just to make it look like they have it all under control but they don’t. However, the business is changing. Patterns have been discovered. And this could be our chance. If we don’t take it now, we’ll be stuck in the never ending loop of planting and getting our fields burnt again.”

Chirrut heard with interest. “What do you propose, Cassian?”

”Let’s be honest, the country looks at us like the clowns of the century. They will always look at us as poor traffickers. They’ll know this is a narcostate. The army will come every time and fuck us all over again. That’s why I propose to move all functional to Guadalajara. It’s a tourist destination and many powerful people live there. The government will not be dumb to sent them the army.”

Kay nodded. It made sense. He knew because he ran all the prognosis for the operation. It did have logic and the odds were in Cassian’s favour. 

Baze barked a laugh. “Guadalajara? Creo que olvidas que los Naranjo viven ahí.”

”No. I know. The Naranjo brothers have not been the kindest people toward us but I believe that we can—or I can persuade them. If we convince them to share the territory, we’ll have more profits and we’ll be untouchable.”

Baze still shook his head. “Let’s say the Naranjo let us share their territory, then what? We do what?”

”We join bands.”

The room erupted with voices. Each had a thing to say. Some where calling out Cassian for thinking such dumb plan would work and others were calling out Pedro for no thinking of that sooner. 

“People, calm down.” Cassian said. “Let me explain.”

The voices died down just enough for Cassian to continue his speech. 

“The DEA thinks we Mexicans cannot follow orders, we are not organized and we just kill each other for fun. They mock us and they mock our business. I said fuck them. If we join forces, not only we’ll be giving the middle finger to the gringos but we’ll also be stabilizing the product’s price and we’ll all end up winning.”

He then proceeded to look at Pedro Áviles. “Piénselo, Jefe. Let me go to Guadalajara and meet up with the Naranjo brothers. Let me tell them that you have a proposal and if it all end up working—which it will—you can be the Boss of Bosses. No one will dare to disobey you and history will know your name.”

_Cassian Andor was a very intelligent man, I got to give him that. He knew how to make everyone work for him even before they realized it. He could be a very charming young man and he could be a beggar. He knew very well that Pedro Áviles only goal was to be the Boss. He had no future vision and Cassian could work with that._

Baze saw the doubt in his friend’s eyes and decided to intervene. “You’re not seriously thinking of letting him go, right? Come on, the kid barely knows what he’s talking about and he will get himself killed!”

But Cassian had Pedro at “being the Boss”.

He cleared his throat. “Muy bien. Cassian Andor will go to Guadalajara to meet up with the Naranjo brothers and give them my proposal.” He looked at Cassian. “If you make me look weak, or dumb and I find out. Your last days on Earth will be very painful.”

Cassian agreed. “Indeed. I just have one condition left.”

”Which is?”

”Let me take Baze with me. You know, to make it look realistic and to make them take me seriously.”

Baze laughed at those words but he didn’t hear the others laugh. 

Pedro nodded. “Fair enough. You and Baze will go to Guadalajara first thing tomorrow. I really hope you’re right, Andor. Because if you’re not...” He trailed off. 

Baze was about to complain but Chirrut grabbed his hand as a sign of “don’t make your friend angrier than he is”, he of all people should know Áviles had a very little tolerance for complaints. 

“No lo defraudaré, Señor.” Cassian thanked. “I will make the deal.”

”You better, kid. You better.”

* * *

 “Well that went well.” Kay said sarcastically. 

Cassian was outside the house the meeting took place. The view was wonderful from up there. The whole valley could be seen and behind them, the mountains were glorious. Cassian lit up his cigarette and inhaled the warm, almost rough tobacco. He then exhaled and looked at Kay. 

“What do you expect for a bunch of fossils? They don’t see the future. They rather get stuck in the past than to see the opportunity we have here. I couldn’t just let it pass.”

Kay agreed with him. “I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. If we fail to convince the Naranjo, the probability of dying will be of 89%.”

Cassian snorted at that comment. “Don’t worry, Kay. You do what you have to do and leave the Naranjo to me. I can convince them.”

”I believe in you. But what exactly do you wanna accomplish here?”

Cassian inhaled again the smoke. And let his imagination run wild. Ever since he was little, he dreamt of being at the top. At first he thought he could achieve it by becoming a cop but he soon realized that the other side of the coin promised you more. He knew what he was going to accomplish there. And he didn’t mind getting other people’s hands dirty for it. 

He was an ambitious man with even bigger dreams. Nothing would stand in his way to make the dream come true. 

He exhaled the smoke. “Yo aquí ando construyendo un imperio.”

But even Empires fall and he knew it damn well. But he had a plan to make sure he stayed on the top as long as he could. 


	3. Guadalajara.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guadalajara is such beautiful city. And Cassian knew it would be perfect for his Empire. But it all comes with a price.

_The_ Naranjo _brothers were the competition of Pedro Áviles. They had the big guns and they had the DFS. The Mexican CIA on their side. No trafficker would go and tell them what to do but Cassian Andor was no trafficker, he was a business man._

Cassian didn’t like what he couldn’t control. So, obviously, he didn’t like Pedro Áviles or the Naranjo brothers. But he knew how to patient, he knew how to wait and then pounce on his prey. 

Baze Malbus thought the kid was an idiot. An ex-cop that thought this side of the coin could satisfy his appetite for power and greed. He thought the kid didn’t know more than the basics. And he knew—or thought he knew that Cassian would make a fool of himself with the Naranjo brothers.

”Listen, Flacucho.” Baze said as he leaned in the passenger seat. “I’m going with you because Áviles made me go, all I’m going to do is sit there and look how you make a fool out of yourself in front of the brothers.”

Kay snorted at that comment. The drive from Culiacán to Guadalajara was of eight hours and it had only been forty-five minutes and Baze was already acting like an asshole. 

“¿Qué pasó, Doc?” Baze looked at Kay. “You’re afraid your friend will cost you your life?”

”Just like you believe Pedro, I believe Cassian and I have faith in him. Also, I have logic and common sense.”

”Guys, let’s not fight.” Cassian interrupted. “This is an eight-hour drive and I would like the bickering to a minimum.”

Baze scoffed as he got comfortable. “I don’t receive orders from you. You’re just an ex-cop that think he can “change” the business. Maybe Dr. Math has faith in you but I don’t.”

Cassian smiled as he turned the radio on. The song of the day was  _No Se Ha Dado Cuenta_ and maybe it’s because it was a good ass song that both Kay and Baze stopped bickering and nodded to the rhythm. 

Cassian enjoyed long drives. He loved the beautiful view as he drove. Sometimes he would let a window down to feel the wind graze his skin. Giving him a sense of liberty. Cassian wasn’t elegant or had an education of higher ground. He was raised like any other. He dressed like any other. As of right now, he had ripped pants, brown boots, a white shirt and a brown jacket. Simple. His black hair was not combed and his beard wasn’t trimmed. 

Cassian loved to feel free. To have a choice. Maybe that’s one of the reasons he dropped out of the police academy because his father had obligated him to attend. Or maybe it was because he realized every single cop in Culiacán was corrupt so, why not try? He already had some family in the business. And that way, he could make his dreams come true. 

The song was one of his favourites. He didn’t realize he was singing along until Baze with his indifferent tone said. 

“Have you ever been in love?”

The question took him by surprise. Really. He had never thought of it. Once in a while he hooked up with someone to satisfy his human needs but he never had a real connection with someone. There was no one in his life that meant so much for Cassian Andor. And he never meant to have one. To build an empire, it takes your whole being. And it gives you powerful enemies. Enemies who would endanger your loved ones. So, no. Cassian had never been in love nor he wanted to be. 

He had heard stories of people who gave up on their dream to be with the person they loved. It seemed ridiculous to give up all you ever wanted for a person. Because everyone could be replaced—why sacrifice everything for someone who could die the day after? Cassian had only wondered one time if there was ever gonna be a time where he would give up his own personal goals to protect that special person. He scoffed at the thought, the thought that would never happen. 

“No. I have never been in love. Hooked up with a lot of people but none had that “spark” people say of. To be frank, I don’t believe in love.”

Baze shrugged. “That’s sad, mijo. You know? You’re just hooking up with people to satisfy your physical needs but you haven’t satisfied your mental needs.”

Kay looked at Baze like the old man had gone crazy. “¿Desde cuándo tú eres un gran filósofo mexicano?”

Cassian smiled at that. Kay would never find someone special. And it didn’t bother him a bit. He liked his numbers. His sassy comments and he liked to stay besides Cassian’s side. Maybe in another world, Kay would’ve make a great droid. The man was a genius. In both math and agriculture. 

Baze closed his eyes as he prepared himself to sleep. “I’m just saying. What’s the point of building an empire if there’s no to share it with?”

Kay said nothing and Cassian knew it was because he low-key agreed with the old rag of Baze Malbus. 

_Whats the point of building an empire if there’s no one to share it with?_

Cassian did not have an answer for that. 

* * *

Guadalajara was a beautiful city. It was close to the sea and it was a very touristic city.

This city was the birthplace of two very known things in the world. Mariachi and Tequila. So, obviously, the gringos and powerful people visited it all the time. And Cassian knew it would be soon the birthplace of the biggest organization of traffickers in the whole world.

“Have you ever been to Guadalajara?” Baze asked. “It’s a wonderful city, I know but it’s a trap. The whole goddamn city is run by the Naranjo brothers with the help of the DFS. And they’re everywhere.”

_The DFS stood for “Dirección Federal de Seguridad” and it was practically the CIA of Mexico. It was made for the same purposes as the CIA, to spy on people, to contain the communist ideals and to help the big drug lords smuggle their drugs into our country._

Cassian shrugged. “I’ve been only once. And that was when I was about eighteen.”

Kay looked out the window. “The probabilities of the Naranjo brothers knowing we are already here is of 89%. I can be wrong but giving the glare the police officer gave us, they already alerted their boss.”

Baze looked at Kay and then at Cassian. “He does this every single time?”

”You’ll get use to it.”

”So what’s the plan? We wait some police officers comes and brings us to their fucking boss? Who will probably kill you two?”

Cassian smiled. “Ey. Tienes qué calmarte, Baze. Be more positive about life.”

Baze snorted as he looked at the streets. “Positivity doesn’t bring you too far in this business.”

Kay grunted. “I bet it you’re only sad because you’re away from Chirrut. The only one that actually supports Cassian.”

”I tried to tell him that was a horrible idea. But he thinks this dumbass has potential.”

Of course he had. And he was intelligent. He knew how the business worked and how it was going to work now that he’ll convince the brothers. But he always a back-up plan and he had a feeling he would have to use the back-up. 

They stopped outside a small, humble dinner. That was the place Cassian had chosen to meet. He knew they would show up giving that Baze was with them. They would want to know why the other traffickers came into their territory. 

As they got out of the car, Cassian whispered something into Kay’s ear. “Go and find me where can we do it.”

Kay nodded as he went the other way. 

Baze looked at Cassian. “Where’s the chamaco going?”

”Don’t worry Baze, we don’t need him as of right now. He’ll come back after we closed the deal with the Naranjo brothers.”

”You still believe that they will accept your proposal?”

”I can be very persuasive and charming, you know?”

“Alright. I want to see that.”

The dinner was small and humble. Not a place you’d think history would be made. The cooks were nice enough to let them eat without paying, although Cassian couldn’t have any of that so, he paid them more than what the food cost and then, promised them to come back for more. 

Finally, after forty minutes of waiting, smiling and drinking. A big man with a stupid haircut and a stupid suit came into the dinner. He was Hernan Naranjo, the youngest of the brothers. It was said he had a very bad relation with the Arellano Felix and just Cassian’s luck, those people were his friends. 

“I knew I smelt bad problems.” He greeted them. “The Sinaloenses have come here for what? Shelter? Business?” He sat down. 

“I’m here because this young man here has a proposal in part of Pedro. But I won’t actually take part of it.” Baze explained. 

“Oh, the old man has a proposal to give me? Damn, is this about the fields they burnt in Sinaloa?” Hernan was arrogant and that would end up to be his downfall. 

“Ey.” Cassian nodded. “They sent the army to destroy our fields. And we know they will come back until we either starve—“

”I don’t see a problem with that.”

”—or we run out of business.” Cassian continued. “So, Áviles has a proposal to give you. He thinks that if we join forces and share the territory we could make more profit—in both sides—with the protection of the DFS and we could stabilize the price of marijuana in the market.”

”Is that so?” Hernan smiled. 

“We’ll pay everything. You just need to provide us the protection and that’s it. We’ll share the profits 50-50. Think about it Hernan, you’ll be one of the most powerful men in the country just by providing the DFS. We’ll do all the hard work for you.”

Hernan looked at Baze. “¿Está hablando en serio, cabrón?”

Base shrugged. “I’m here to watch, that’s all.”

Hernan then proceeded to look at Cassian. “Pedro is dumber than I thought. Share the territory? Join forces? It does sound good but instead of 50-50, how about 20-80? Or maybe 10-90? I like that better.” He started laughing. 

Cassian was not amused in any way. If there was something he hated was people thinking they were so much smart than him. He just looked at Hernan as he kept laughing with such glare that would later be his signature look. The one that would be the last look you saw before you died. 

“We don’t make deals with poor, stupid farmers here. This are the big leagues and we don’t have any interest in sharing our territory with cockroaches.” Hernan said as he tried to calm himself down. “I have a proposal, too. Tell Pedro we make fun of him here in Guadalajara and he should fuck off.”

Baze sighed. The poor fool of Cassian really thought he could convince the Naranjo to share the territory and he had bet his life for it. 

Cassian cleared his throat as his hands moved down his hips. “¿Sabes qué? Te tengo otra propuesta.” And just as Hernan was looking up to say another sassy comment. Cassian brought his gun up and blew the man’s brains off. 

The people in the dinner ran off screaming when the gunshot was heard. All except the cooks who didn’t want to lose their dinner. Baze was now standing and freaking out over the dead body of Hernan. Cassian kept his cool as he shot another bullet to his heart. 

“What’s wrong with you?!” Baze exclaimed. “This fucker was the Boss of Guadalajara! Soon his fucking policemen will come and fuck us to Hell!”

Cassian shrugged as he sat down again. He looked at a waiter who had stayed with the cooks. “Can I get a coke?” He said with such insensitive tone like he hadn’t just kill someone. 

“Do you even have the minor idea of what the hell did you just do?!” Baze yelled. 

Cassian looked at him. “I convinced him, didn’t I?”

”You’re gonna kill us both!”

_Cassian Andor would be known for his sly manipulations and his charming demeanour. He would be a man who people would respect and fear. He was a very intelligent man to had grown an empire in such little time. And Baze Malbus realized that in the dinner of ‘78._

“You’re sick. You’re a sick bastard.” Baze exhaled. “A fucking intelligent, sick bastard.”

Cassian took out a cigarette and lit it up. He looked at Baze and gave his best smile. “Everyone can be replaced. Even you and even me.”

”You’ll end up dead. That’s it. Tú vas a terminar en una tumba en medio del desierto.”

Cassian chuckled. “It’s true. I will but come on, Baze.”

Could be his weird sense of fidelity or could be because Baze knew he wouldn’t get out of Guadalajara that made him stay with Cassian in the dinner, waiting for their imminent death—or that’s what Baze thought. 

Kay came just minutes before the DFS joined the party. He looked at the dead body of Hernan as he passed by. He had in his arms two large tubes that were maps. “I see the meeting went well.” He said sarcastically. 

Cassian scoffed. “Do you have it?”

”Of course I do. The geologist was kind enough to give me a geography class without paying.”

That’s when the DFS showed up. Wearing his big badges and the room was full of policemen in just a few seconds. Miguel Nazar Haro, the director of the DFS looked at the men. “Drop your weapons right now.”

Cassian brought the gun and threw it far away and Kay gave it to Nazar. Baze wasn’t so keen in being completely defenceless but gave his weapon to a policeman. 

“Now, we’re going for a little ride.” Nazar said. “Cuff them.”

Cassian was the only one who didn’t put up resistance as they cuffed him. His demeanour stayed cool and collected. He was cooperating very well with the policemen unlike his partners who were resisting the arrest. 

They shoved them to the backseat of a police car and they slammed the door in their noses. Nazar was riding with them and looked quite pissed about what they did. 

“Do you have the minor idea of what you did?” He asked. 

Cassian shrugged. “You’re going to kill us.”

”You did something worth of that.”

“When I was eighteen, I came to Guadalajara. My first time in the city, my first time out of my home. But it wasn’t because I wanted a vacation. No, it was because I was on the run. I was wanted. I came to Guadalajara for shelter. That’s when he found me. He took me to the station and took my fingerprints and my mugshot.”

He then laughed as if the memory made him happy. 

“I thought that was it. I was busted. My father would hate me for all his life and I would end up in jail for the rest of my goddamn life. That’s when he stopped and looked at me, he proceeded to throw in the trash all the fingerprints and mugshot. Because turns out, his nephew had came to Culiacán a few months before and was about to die when I saved him. He told me that was a debt he wanted to pay back. So, he let me free.”

Nazar gave a mocking smile. “That’s so nice, you think we’ll let you go for doing that?”

Cassian smiled back. “No. But aren’t you curious who the man was?”

Nazar rolled his eyes and decided to go with Cassian’s game. “Who was the man?”

”His name was Juan José Esparragoza. You may know him by the alias ‘El Azul’?”

Nazar looked at the driver and then at Cassian. His expression showed both confusion and surprise. 

“Or you may know him by the name of Boss?” Cassian said ever so kindly. 

Baze looked at the young man and then at Kay. The other man showed no sign of amusement and when Baze looked at him for confirmation, he nodded. Baze sighed. Cassian had surprised him in such little time and he had yet to know more. But what he did know by now was. 

Cassian was more than a simple trafficker. He was a Business Man who planned every little thing and had a plan for everything. 

“The business is changing and you either change with it or you die.” Cassian said. “I hope you make the right choice.”

He then laid down and got himself comfortable. 


	4. El Cártel de Guadalajara.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian Andor had a plan for everything. This was no different. He was going to make his dreams a reality.

_There would be two periods of time in all DEA. Before Cassian Andor and after Cassian Andor. The Business Man had changed the whole industry and had made our jobs harder. He planned everything and he did not see himself as a trafficker. He could try everything to clean his hands but they would always be stained with blood._

“You know Esparragoza?” Baze asked in the back of the car.

Cassian nodded. “You asked me if I ever came to Guadalajara, well, I did once and he helped me.” 

Baze had underestimated Cassian Andor. The young man had guts, he had shot a big drug lord in the head, had thought of where to start his empire and Hell, he even planned how to get out the goddamn problem. He owned everyone in that moment.

Nazar looked at Cassian. “We’re going to change the plans here. If you say that Azul knows you, well, he should recognize you. So, we’re going to meet him now.”

Cassian knew Nazar didn’t need to actually meet Azul. Because Azul was just an officer but Nazar was the whole director of the DFS. He easily outranked Azul. But Azul had more contacts in the trafficking business that Nazar. In a way, Azul controlled the business while Nazar just made sure no one was in their way. Cassian also knew Nazar was hoping to see through his “bluff”. However, Cassian wasn’t bluffing in the minor detail. 

Kay snorted. “The probabilities of imminent death is of 78%.”

Baze gave a death glare that made Kay shut up. 

Cassian Andor looked out the window. The desert was running and running and didn’t seem to end. It was a vast territory with very little control. Someone could do whatever he wanted and not even the government could know. People would say it was the dumbest idea to try and grow a whole field of marijuana in the fucking desert. But that’s why Cassian wanted to do it, it was so stupid and frankly, insane that no one—not even the DEA would think about searching the desert. 

However, to do such thing he needed the help of governors, deputies, cops, senators and the whole DFS. No trafficker had try to reach out to the government to help them with their business. But Cassian knew that his empire needed a base to stand. And after all, he just needed the right amount of money and whole Mexico would be his. 

* * *

They were led to a shady room.

Kay didn’t like shady rooms, never did. He knew enough of the business to know that every shady room was either for torture or for death. Given the situation that they were, Kay had a feeling they were gonna do both. When he looked at Baze, he saw the same expression in the old man’s face. 

Cassian maintained his calm. He didn’t seem bother by the room and he looked collected enough to talk than to beg. Nazar looked at him again and then at his friends. “I hope you don’t mind staying here for a few minutes.”

Kay gulped but didn’t say anything. He was about to say the probabilities of dying here had raised to a 86% but he knew that would just make more trouble. 

“I don’t and my friends here won’t either. We’ll wait patiently here for those few minutes.” Cassian answered back with such blunt tone that it hurt. 

Nazar eyed the men before nodding and disappearing into the night. 

Baze couldn't contain himself by then. “You’re going to get all of us killed, pendejo. I underestimate you, I admit but those men don’t play your game and they’re going to kill us all.”

Cassian smiled and shrugged. “Calm down, Baze. I have a plan.”

”Seems like you always do.”

”Because I do.”

Soon enough, a round man came around with Nazar and three other officers. The man had a calm expression just like Cassian’s and his eyes tingled with curiosity. 

“Cassian Andor, what a surprise.” Esparragoza said. “Last time we saw each other was when?”

Cassian looked down in respect before answering. “About eight years ago, Azul. Back when you busted me for trafficking and murder.”

Esparragoza nodded. “Yes. I remember now.” He then looked at the others. “Now it seems like you got in quite the problem.”

Cassian smiled sheepishly. “Ey.”

”You killed one of my bosses. And Juan didn’t take this in a good way.”

”I came here to propose something.”

Esparragoza sighed. “I know. And it didn’t go as planned.”

”Because the Naranjo brothers were not the people I wanted on-board. This proposal is just for you, Azul.” Cassian said. 

“What kind of proposal?”

Cassian looked at Kay. “Show him.”

Kay nodded and took the map and asked to take back his backpack which carried something special. “Sir, with all respect. Your business is dying. And you’re doing it all wrong, look here, sir.” He pointed to the map. “Your fields are all together and well, when you put a man and a woman together, shit happen.” He smiled. 

“Now, I decided to separate the male and female species and just stick with the females. I did this once and the result was this.” Kay brought a medium package out of the backpack and gave it to Esparragoza. “Turns out, this kind of herb doesn’t have all the shit that yours have thanks to the male. Your shit cannot be smoked and takes much bigger space, however, ours is pure weed and takes less space to pack. And we can make more than what the market value is at.”

Esparragoza looked down and saw the package. It was actually true. It was small and contained what could be smoked. He then looked at one of his and realized it was much bigger and when he cut it open, what he tried so much to not have was right there. He proceeded to look at Cassian. 

“Azul, your weed cannot be smoked. Or at least not as well as mine. I seen how the farmers try to separate the other shit and try to have pure weed, it’s hard work and costs more. Mine is already pure by default. All we look if for a partner, someone that can provide us protection while we grow it. I know you, sir, and I know your nephew. We can give you 50% of the profits.” 

Baze was about to say he wasn’t with them but seeing the surprised expression in Esparragoza’s face told him he would live if he just stayed quiet. 

“Cassian Andor, this was your idea?” Esparragoza asked. 

“And Kay Tuesso’s too. He’s the one that grows it while I’m the one that, well, sells it.”

Esparragoza nodded. 

Juan Naranjo came right in that moment. Furious, he was marching with his gun in his hand ready to shoot. He stopped at the sight of Cassian and looked more furious. “Why is he still alive?!”

Esparragoza looked at Juan. “Cálmate.”

Juan didn't calm down. “Hell no. This cabrón killed my brother in cold blood and he’s still alive. I want them all dead! All dead! Starting by you!” He pointed the gun at Cassian’s head. 

Cassian didn’t flinch when it happened and he kept his cool. He looked at Juan straight into the eyes, almost challenging him to shoot him. 

Esparragoza took the matter into his own hands. “Juan, cálmate. If you kill them right now, you’ll have real blood in your hands, but if you let us kill them. The business will go like it always goes.”

Juan thought for what seemed hours but he finally put down the gun. “Do it. Now.” He challenged Esparragoza. “Or I will kill you, too.”

Azul sighed. “I’m sorry, compadres. But I have to protect my partners and I have to protect my business and profits.”

Kay looked down. Cassian just nodded and Baze snorted at that answer. 

Azul raised his gun but instead of pointing or even shooting at Cassian, he pulled the trigger to his own boss. Juan Naranjo. It all happened so fast, the three traffickers’s mind hadn’t still process the sound of the gunshot. 

Two of the officers took of running and Nazar and his men chased after them. Leaving Azul Esparragoza with the three others. 

“I like you, Andor. But this business doesn’t work with likes and love. It works with money. So. I hope you have my money ready every month, be puntual. Alright?” Azul demanded and extended his hand for a deal. 

Cassian took his hand and shook it. The only thing he needed to complete his Empire was the help of various drug lords. But he could do that over the next months. “Ey.” He smiled. 

Azul looked down at the now dead body of Juan Naranjo. “Because you are such intelligent man, the first month is on the Naranjo brothers.”

”Está bueno.”

Baze finally exhaled. And cracked what could resemble a smile. “I always had faith in Flacucho here.”

Kay smiled too. “Sure. So much faith.”

Azul nodded. “He looks more like a businessman than a trafficker, doesn’t he?”

Cassian laughed. “Sure. I do.”

Kay exhaled all his stress and thanked Jesús Malverde for letting him live another day. 

_Thats when the Business Man was born. He had killed the Naranjo brothers and owned the DFS in one day. He had done what he was born to do. Business. That was the beginning of what soon would be an empire. It was a date both traffickers and agents would never forget._

_28th of June, 1978._

* * *

”I still don’t get it.” Baze Malbus said as they drove on the hot desert. “How did this happen?” _  
_

Kay just smiled. “Don’t try to find a significance in it. You’ll end up insane. Just be happy it happened.”

Cassian who was driving shrugged. “Pues, fue un golpe de suerte.”

They parked in middle of a big territory. As big as four football fields. It was desert, to keep in mind. No water was in sight and Baze couldn’t help to think if this was another of Andor’s tricks. 

“There’s only desert here.” He admitted as he got out the car. 

Cassian laughed as Kay smiled. “We know. Why do you think we’re doing it here?”

Baze looked at Kay. “You can make this actually happen?”

Tuesso nodded. “In the surface there’s only desert. But all down there, it’s water. The government won’t look for a marijuana field in the middle of the desert and only three people will know the location of it.”

”And that would be Kay, you and I.” Cassian smiled. “We—I planned it all. Kay made sure we got the right spot.”

Baze sighed. “You actually made that mota?” He looked at Kay. He was too busy checking the territory that he didn’t hear nor answered Baze but Cassian did for him. 

“Of course he did. He invented it.”

The old man snorted. “He should be a genius to make it happen. And you knew, didn’t you?”

Cassian shrugged. “We’re beginning to understand ourselves, Malbus.”

”You knew the Naranjo wouldn’t accept your offer, you knew the DFS would take you to Azul and you knew he would accept your offer. Didn’t you?”

Cassian looked at the sky. He took something from his pants. A cigarette pack. He brought one to his mouth and lit it up. The smoke brought a kind, rough and warm feeling to his body. A feeling he was too dependent of. He exhaled the smoke and looked at Baze. 

“I’m a businessman. I don’t see what there is but what can be. I don’t see where it begins but rather where will it end. And I know where will this story end.”

Baze looked at the vast territory. It could’ve been more than a hundred hectares easily. It didn’t seem like a place where the field could survive. If it did, well hell. 

“You go down this path, you will fall.” Baze warned him. 

Cassian Andor inhaled again. “Every empire fall even the greatest one.” He exhaled. “All because of one mistake.”

”Which is?”

”They thought they were immortal and untouchable. My empire will fall one day, Malbus. I know that, too well. History says so. But ey, I will make it last for a long time.” He laughed. 

“How are you so sure?” Could that be arrogance coming from Cassian Andor?

”I will have a plan. Don’t worry.”

Baze sighed. “And Avilés?”

Cassian laughed again. “Why do you think I have you? Or Chirrut Îmwe?”

That’s when Baze realized something. Cassian Andor could’ve easily chosen Chirrut for the mission. He was the one that was more suitable for it. He was the calm and collected of the two. Hell, he could’ve convinced the Naranjo brothers but Cassian didn’t want to convince them, he never meant to. He didn’t need a peacemaker. He needed a troublemaker and that was Baze Malbus. 

“I talked to him before we left Culiacán. He and I agreed in most of the things and he offered me his undying support in this business. He told me he would do whatever he could to help me.” Cassian inhaled the rough smoke. 

Chirrut was Baze’s light. If something ever happened to him, Baze would never forgive himself. And Cassian knew it and took advantage of it, if Chirrut was in the game, then by default Baze was too. And it meant Baze would have to betray his closest friend to protect his husband. 

“You son of a bitch.” He said to the Businessman. 

Cassian shrugged. “Los negocios son los negocios. Nada personal, Baze.”

Kay smiled from afar. “The probabilities of success are high!”

Cassian waved back. 

“How long do you think your empire will stand?” Baze said. 

“As long as it can, Baze Malbus. If I play my cards well, it can last years and years. Even decades. I won’t let the law nor my enemies get to me. If I fall, I’ll fall with dignity.”

Baze scoffed at that. “Life can be very surprising, Flaco.”

Cassian exhaled the smoke. “I doubt it.”

_If you’re wondering, Cassian Andor’s empire did fall but it would be very later on for my taste. And if you’re wondering how did it fall, well, Baze was right. Life can be surprising and it had surprised the Business Man. Because he had planned every single move, all that could go wrong. His empire didn’t fall because the law caught him or because his enemies took care of it. No, he had a lot of exits for that kind of things. He knew those thing would’ve happen. And he was prepared._

_However, his downfall was in the end, love. Yes, you heard me right. Love. The one thing Cassian Andor never thought of. That was his downfall. But who did he fall in love, you may ask? Who the Hell meant so much for Cassian Andor to give his entire world for her? Well, glad you asked. He fell in love with a DEA agent. But not any DEA agent. Jyn Erso. And she fell in love with him. Romeo & Juliet classic story. The biggest capo of the drug business and the best DEA agent of the whole country. _

_Heaven help a fool who falls in love._


	5. Drug Enforcement Administration.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You met the Narcos. Now, it’s time to meet the DEA.

_Cassian Andor was the Godfather. He was the man that at the age of twenty-six managed to built an empire. But Jyn Erso, the best DEA agent of all time was the one who shook that empire to their foundations._

Jyn Erso was a hard-working woman. She had a such drive and determination to end the war on drugs. She was born in a little town near the border with Mexico. She knew Spanish by default as a consequence. Her mother was killed by some narcos. 

She worked all her life to enter the DEA. She was the best of her class. The DEA accepted her with honours. Jyn was one of the best agents California had. If someone told her she couldn’t do it, she would do it twice. She wasn’t someone that would wait for the answers to come, she was someone who would make the answers come. 

She had big ambitions, a trait she shared with Cassian Andor, she wanted to end the drug war now and there. She didn’t follow orders too well and did whatever it took to finish her mission. 

So, when her superiors offered her a place in Guadalajara, she took it before anyone could finish the phrase. She knew how the drug war was in Mexico. And she would try to end it by the roots. 

* * *

When Mon Mothma told her about the DEA in Mexico. Jyn couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed in what they achieved. They could be much more. She wanted them to be much more. 

“Let me present you your team.” Mom Mothma said once the discussion was over. 

She led Jyn to a more open space with less people but more desks and files. In said space where only three people. One was a woman, who seems the leader in charge, the other two were men. One looked very similar to the woman and the other wasn’t exactly in a desk but rather waiting for the man to finish his paperwork. He looked very nervous and very broken. 

When the woman saw Mom Mothma, she stood up as a sign of respect. The other guys, well, it took them like two or three seconds to realize the boss was there. 

“This is Leia Organa.” Mom Mothma pointed at the woman. “She’s your boss here but she’s more of a leader herself. I know you two will get along just fine.”

Jyn doubted she would get along with anyone. Not that she didn’t like people but usually, people didn’t like her. She was always so obsessed with her work that she sacrificed every social interaction for it. And hence, she didn’t know how to socialize. 

Nonetheless, she shook her hand when offered. “Nice to meet you, I look forward working with you.” She greeted and Leia smiled. 

“This is Luke Skywalker. He’s Leia’s brother. A great field agent who is also a great friend and a terrible joker.” Mom Mothma smiled. 

Luke looked fake offended and scoffed at the comment. He smiled at Jyn and shook her hand as well. “I’m one of the best, could be the best if my sister here stepped down once in a while. But still, I make a great paella.”

Jyn laughed at that comment. “I can see that, Luke.”

Finally, that left the nervous man who seemed to be about to faint anytime soon. He was just behind Luke, just like a shy kid when his mother presents him to someone. He wore googles and his eyes seemed broke. As if they forgot what to see.

Mom Mothma knew that because she spoke with a soft tone and her expression was motherly. “And finally, this Bodhi Rook. He’s not a DEA agent but he’s our informant. He’s a defector. Used to work for Pedro Avilés but now, he’s with us.”

Then she whispered to her ear. “He had to be pulled out the field because Avilés found out he was a defector and tortured him for two hours.”

”Hi-hi, my name is Bodhi—well, you already know that.” Bodhi tried to greet Jyn but his words were mixed and he couldn’t even look at her in the eye.

_Bodhi Rook would be a national hero when all was said and done. His name would be known all around the DEA. People would look at him and would respect him. Idolize him. But he paid the price. And there would be nights when he would wonder if it all was worth it._

“It’s very nice to meet you.” Jyn said. 

“I’m sorry.” Bodhi looked down. “I’m not good at—well, practically everything.”

Luke gave him a smile and caressed his back softly. It made Jyn think they were more than friends. More than partners even. 

Jyn had never been in love with somebody. She didn’t have time for that, she had to catch the bad guys. The DEA was little and not well-known and most guys didn’t like a girl who could handle herself. She didn’t weep of that matter, she knew that when love would come—if it ever would come—it would be with the right guy and the right time. 

“It’s okay, Bodhi. I’m bad at everything as well, I almost got expelled from the DEA because I don’t follow orders as well as others.” 

Mom Mothma rolled her eyes. “I hope Leia puts a stop to that. Anyways, I gotta leave you. You can tell her everything she needs to know about Guadalajara.”

* * *

Luke smiled as he began pulling boxes from shelves. “There’s no much but thanks to Bodhi, it’s more than we could’ve hope.”

Leia took a file. “We don’t know much. Guadalajara is usually a really calm place where no much action happens. Two brothers ran the city, the Naranjo brothers. Hernan and Juan. But six months ago, they were found dead with no witnesses.” She showed pictures of the dead bodies of the two brothers. 

Jyn nodded. “So it means someone moved to their territory?”

Luke shrugged. “Unlikely. Well, yeah it means someone moved on their territory but it’s not alarming. The Mexicans always fight each other and it always ends in killing each other. Nothing to in dept with.”

Jyn didn’t think like that. If Mexicans were as disorganized and as insane as they all made it sound, they wouldn’t even be in the business. Maybe they were all a bit disorganized and yes, maybe they were insane for wanting such life but when someone kills a big fish of the business, it meant something big was going to come their way. 

“Have you informed the DFS?” She asked. 

Leia nodded. “But the DFS hasn’t answered us back. Probably because of the new Director had, the last one quit and they’re probably too busy as of right now.”

_Miguel Nazar didn’t make it pass those six months. The official story was he quit in silence and privacy to move with his family to the country side. Of course, the last thing Miguel Nazar did was to move to the country side. We don’t know a lot but we know it was Azul who ordered his death. Enter new director of DFS Orson Krennic._

“It’s been how long since send I’m the request?”

Luke shrugged. “Four months? Maybe going to five?”

Jyn couldn’t believe it. “And they still haven’t answer you?”

”This is not America, Erso. Here, people have worse life conditions and the law here has a lot of shit to do. The DFS has bigger problems than to see the DEA files. It usually takes this much.” Leia explained. 

“But isn’t it a bit strange? The old director quits in private and doesn’t even do a public announcement of his resignation and then the new director doesn’t even pay attention to us?”

”You think they’re corrupt?”

Jyn sighed. “I’m thinking someone had planned this with detail. The Naranjo brothers’s death, new director, it has to be someone that thought of it too much.”

Luke shook his head. “If you’re proposing that a sole man planned this thing all, then you seriously haven’t met the Mexicans. I’m not being racists or anything but the plazas hate each other. They won’t help each other. This is all a coincidence.”

”I don’t think it is.”

* * *

Kay Tuesso was sweaty and looked like shit when he went to meet Cassian. It was normal given he was the one working in the fields while Cassian stayed in Guadalajara to convince the others. But he would dress so handsomely for the banquet tonight. 

“¿Qué pasó, compa?” He greeted Cassian. He eyed his outfit. 

Cassian had changed in those six months. He stopped wearing jeans and plain shirts, he began wearing suits and his hair was combed with gel and his beard was trimmed to an exact science to not forget the expensive sunglasses. 

“Kay, it’s great to see you.” His best friend smiled. 

Kay looked amused. “Aren’t you going to give me a hug?”

”Hell no. You’re dirty and sweaty.”

”It’s the sweat that brought you your fancy outfits and expensive sunglasses.”

Cassian laughed at the comment but then became serious. The Business Man rarely ever laugh, he was a serious man by nature. Very mature for his age. 

“The new DEA agent?”

Kay sighed as he got serious, too. “Not to worry about, or at least not now. My informant passed me all the information he and his people knew.”

Cassian nodded. “Está bueno. And the informant? Did you take him out?”

”Azul did it for me.”

“Good. Today is a big day for all of us. The others are convinced but they want to know the details of it. Tell Azul to make his new director show up.”

Kay made a face. “Krennic? He’s an asshole.”

”But he’s an asshole we need, sadly, maybe later on we’ll take him out of the business.”

Kay smiled at that comment. “I would personally do it.”

_Orson Krennic was a ambitious man just like anyone on the business. Cassian didn’t like the Director too much, in fact, he hated him. The death of Miguel Nazar was an internal affair in the DFS so, the Narcos didn’t have anything to do with it. So, Cassian couldn’t do anything about Krennic because like it or not, he needed him._

Cassian smiled. “I know. Come on, tell me how your little field is doing.”

”Is more than a little field, Cassian. Statically, it’s the biggest marijuana field in the world and if everything goes right tonight, it will be the main exporter of marijuana.”

”Just tell me, cabrón.”

”And where is going to be the meeting?”

Cassian gave a smirk. “Hotel Americas.”

* * *

“And who’s that?”

Jyn pointed at man who seemed about the same as her, his hair was brown and short, sweaty as heck, a cigarette in his lip but hell, he was tall. 

Luke looked to see. “That’s Kay Tuesso. A rancher of Pedro Avilés. He’s not too important, he’s sweaty because he’s a rancher.”

They were showing her all the picture they took in those six months. She seen a lot but none of them attracted her more than the follow up three. Kay Tuesso and two other men. 

One of them as older than Kay, his hair was long and had a big goatee as well. He dressed old school but fashionable at the same time, he wore a big gun belt and was crossing the road. 

“Baze Malbus. An old school trafficker, he’s best friends with Pedro Avilés. His husband lost his sight not long ago. We been watching him for a while but he doesn’t go anywhere too important.” Leia explained. 

Jyn wanted to tell them everywhere was important. Those men weren’t going to go to a house where it said ‘Traffickers meeting here, DEA!!’ No, those men were discreet. They knew. 

Luke accidentally dropped a photo when he was moving of places. That moment was the the one thing that changed everyone’s future. Mostly Jyn’s. She grabbed the photo off the floor and studied it. 

It was taken in the middle of the day in a not so busy street. In the photo, right there in the middle was a man, maybe two or three more years older than Jyn, his black mane of hair perfectly combed, a black suit, a trimmed beard, some sunglasses holding a phone with his right hand while the left held a cigarette. 

“And who’s him?” She asked, still intrigued over the new player in town. 

Surprisingly, it was Bodhi who answered. “That’s—that’s Cassian Andor. He ain’t a friend of Pedro Avilés. He’s more of a lonewolf, he’s Kay’s best friend. I only met him once but he didn’t dress like that.”

_That was going to be a name she would never forget. She would be obsessed with. For the next five years, she’ll be undercover just to know what that man hid. She didn’t know that he and her would slowly fall in love with each other._

Jyn looked at the photo again. All the other photos had something in common, either they were friends with Pedro Avilés or they worked for him. But this Cassian Andor wasn’t neither for what Bodhi told him. It looked like the only link he had to Pedro Avilés was Kay Tuesso. But if he wasn’t a friend and he didn’t work for Avilés, then why the hell was he there? And what made him change of style from what Bodhi said?

Jyn looked at the clock. It was 8 pm. Damn, how time went fast. She could’ve stayed but she wanted to get an early rest to be there first thing tomorrow and think of how to help the people of Mexico against the drug war. 

“I guess I’m going to have a drink.” She smiled. “Anyone want to join me?”

Leia passed saying she rarely drank alcohol and Luke didn’t even like the taste of it. Bodhi smiled and declined. He felt safer when he was with Luke and he did not want to leave the comfort of what he now called home. 

Jyn said her goodbyes and went to pick up her things when Bodhi passed by the hallway and pulled her with him. 

“There’s something wrong?” She asked when she saw the worried expression in his face. 

“I’m not a good man—never be.” He sighed. “But I-I see you’re good woman and I know you see what I see, only that I’m too afraid to speak up. But-but you’re not. So, I think you should know this.”

Jyn furrowed her eyebrows. “Know what?”

”Cassian Andor and a bunch of other traffickers will meet in about thirty minutes in the hotel Americas. I-I don’t know much but I know this is not-not what they do. They’ve never put all the plazas bosses in-in one place. And Cassian Andor is-is hosting it.”

”Have you told anyone about this, Bodhi?”

He shook his head. “They believe in facts and not in hope. Luke-Luke and Leia would want facts about what I’m insinuating. But-but you don’t. You don’t need facts, the only thing you need is hope.”

”And what is that you’re insinuating?”

”The-They’re making something big! And Cassian Andor is-is leading them.”

That was Jyn needed to hear. 

* * *

Cassian Andor rarely got nervous. He was a man of few emotions. He didn’t like to show them in public, he felt weak and vulnerable when he did. Emotions were what killed people in this business and he didn’t want to die. Not yet at least. 

But he was nervous over this meeting. What he wanted had never been done before. It was something out of a movie, or a telenovela. If anything went wrong, if any trafficker didn’t show up, Avilés would hang him for it. Hell, if he made his ‘boss’ weak in front of the other traffickers, he would be dead there and no one could do anything to save it. 

Control. 

He was a man of control. Ever since he was little, he craved the power that control had. He had a brother which was littler than him and Cassian used to control him to get his own. Manipulation was what his father called it. And he was good at it, he could’ve done the worst thing as a kid and somehow, thrown his brother to the bus with no ties that it was actually Cassian. 

But he had no control over what would happen that night. He had manipulated the traffickers to a certain point and he couldn’t do more than just hope and watch. Cassian hated waiting. If he stayed one more damn second in that room of his, he would end up insane. 

So, he rather go to the bar. Because after all, it was his hotel. The traffickers wouldn’t be here for another ten minutes and all he could control was in perfect order, nothing more than wait. He sat down in one of the stools and order a bottle of tequila. He wasn’t going to get that drunk but just enough to let himself relax and enjoy the night. 

He lit up a cigarette at the same time. He had been addicted to them since he was fifteen, not a pleasant surprise for his parents but there was nothing that could’ve been done. Once addicted, always addicted. It was one of the few things Cassian Andor depended of. Maybe the only thing he depended. Apart from that, he was a lone wolf who didn’t need anything or anyone. 

“Are you going to shoot someone tonight?”

Cassian’s thoughts were interrupted by a voice. He looked at the owner of the voice. It was a woman, wearing shorts and a plain shirt. She didn’t look like she belong there. But to be honest, neither did he. 

“Excuse me?” He exhaled the smoke. 

“You look like you’re going to kill someone today. Just by looking at your expression and how the bartender didn’t even say anything when you order a whole bottle of tequila.” 

He studied her. She didn’t seem harmful. Maybe another tourist because of that accent of hers. “Where your from?”

”Tijuana.” She answered. “Close to the border and I guess their accent stuck on me. Do you speak English?” She asked that last part in a different language. 

“Not that much, I speak what I can.” He replied with an English with an accent before slipping back to Spanish. “What are you doing here?”

The woman shrugged. In her hand she took a drink out of her cup. “Drinking.”

”I see that but you don’t look like you belong here.” He inhaled. 

“Neither do you. And by your accent I see you’re from Sinaloa, what part?”

Cassian could’ve not replied, his paranoia was high enough for it. But he didn’t seem the harm in doing so. “Ey. Vengo de Culiacán.” He exhaled.

She smiled. “Ah, Culiacán. I’ve been there. My uncle is from Badiraguato.”

”I got a friend from there.”

”See? Two misfits co-existing together.”

He looked amused by her comment. “How do you like the hotel?” 

“Could be better, I think. If the owner put more work in it instead of hooking up with rich girls.”

Cassian gave a snort. 

“What’s so funny?” She asked so innocently. 

“I’m the owner.”

“Oh.” She said but then looked at him with such mocking expression. “But I’m not wrong.”

Cassian smiled at that. He was about to ask for her name when one of the guys came in with a hurry. 

“Patrón, ya llegaron.”

Well, this was it. Cassian’s time. It was now or never. He stood up and cleared his throat. He left the cigarette butt there and looked at the woman. “Well, I’m afraid our time here has come to an end.”

She smiled. “I guess so. I didn’t catch your name.”

Answering that would be Cassian’s biggest mistake. “Cassian Andor, and yours?”

”Jyn Erso.”

”Patrón.” The bodyguard insisted. 

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Jyn. I hope you change your mind about the owner of the hotel.”

Jyn gave him a fake laugh but he didn’t know it. “I doubt it.”

He looked satisfied with himself and left the scene. Leaving Jyn all alone with her thoughts. 

When she met his eyes. She saw a man, a cold-hearted man, a monster and a killer. A man who wouldn’t even flinch when giving the order to kill thousands of families. He did not have one hair out of line, it was perfectly combed with gel. His beard was fully black and trimmed to an exact science. And his clothes, Jyn was sure his clothes were more expensive than her house. When she met the eyes of Cassian Andor, she saw a monster who she wouldn’t think twice to kill given the chance.

_Let's bet, Jyn._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who do you think it’s the narrator?  
> Hoped you liked it.


	6. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family is not a word but rather someone. And it can be by blood or by choice. Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso knew that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m Mexican, although I live in Canada, so I watched Narcos: Mexico in the perspective of a Mexican. That’s why if I make the “gringos” look like the bad guys it’s because there were times I wanted them to fuck off in the show.

_I knew Cassian Andor. And he knew me. I wasn’t exactly there when he made all the infamous Cártel de Guadalajara but I knew what he was planning and maybe because of our “friendship”, I turned the blind eye. In futile hope he would change, that there still was good in him. There **was**._

It was now or never. He had worked hard for six months and today was the day the hard work would pay off. He just needed to mentioned some facts, compliment his ‘boss’ because it was his idea and that was it. He would have made history. No other plaza had done this, and not at this young age, he would be the first to. He just hoped that the plaza bosses would fall right into his lap. And not, for the sake of God, not fight this once. 

He met with Baze and Kay before entering the room. Kay dressed a expensive white shirt with some expensive black pants and who would’ve guess? He wore cologne. Baze was the same, he literally was the same, his brown leather jacket, underneath a blue navy shirt and some jeans and of course, his hat. Well, it was the best those two could get. 

“¿Listo, flaco?” Baze smiled at him with a serious mock. Baze was still furious about the whole Chirrut deal but instead of killing him, the only thing he did was to give Cassian more and more problems. 

“You will do good.” Kay affirmed. “The odds of success are of 85%.”

Cassian sighed and then gave a little smile.  “Well then, sirs, let’s get this show started.”

* * *

**Six months ago.**

The DFS was on board.

That was good.

Right?

That was good.

Of course it wasn’t, the DFS could fuck itself if they didn’t have _him_ on board. Well, he would never be on board with what Cassian was offering. No, he wouldn’t be. Somehow, he needed to convince him to let him turn the blind eye for at least a time. But how? How to tell him, of all people, to turn around and let him pass those drugs around the border. 

“What are you thinking of, Andor?” Baze asked. The hotel Americas was a nice hotel. The hotel of the Naranjo that would probably go to the market now they dead. Baze did like the room the DFS provided them and Kay had hit the shower but Cassian Andor didn’t know seem to relax. 

“Nothing.” Cassian shook his head. “Nothing that I can do right now.”

”You should be happy, flaco. The Naranjo brothers are dead and the DFS works for you now—well, they ‘work’ for Pedro—but we all know the bitter truth.”

”I’m going to be happy when I get all the plazas to join and make a single corporation.”

”For an intelligent man, you don’t seem so happy for what you’re achieving.”

”I don’t think myself as a happy man.”

“And why is that?” Baze asked. 

“You told me what’s the point of having an empire if I don’t share it with anyone. Well, I did once. It wasn’t in a romantic way, it was more a friendly way. He refused. Nothing has been the same since then.”

”So? I bet that you don’t need that person. Or at least not right now.”

Cassian snorted. “I kind of do, the DFS goes to shit if he is not on board with this project. The system doesn’t like heroes, Baze Malbus and he’s the biggest hero in all Guadalajara.”

”What’s his superpower?” 

“Being an honest man.”

Baze looked and saw the Bussiness Man’s torn face. Whoever the person was, he was close to Andor and he seemed hurt by whatever happened to them. And if the man was an honest man, it meant money couldn’t buy him. Those were the most dangerous men. The ones that couldn’t be corrupt.

”You can ask Kay to go tomorrow, I bet you the dumbass wouldn’t mind. In fact, I believe he would be very happy to serve you.”

Cassian gave a small chuckle. “Sadly, that’s a thing that I have to attend personally because after all, what’s a boss if he doesn’t get a little dirt on his face?”

Baze returned the chuckle. “¿Y quien diablos dijo que eres el jefe?”

“Let’s sleep. Now get the fuck out my room.” 

Baze stood up and with a mocking expression he copied Han Solo, he said. “As you say, milord.”

And Cassian was left wondering how he would break the news. 

* * *

The morning came and no one had seen Cassian Andor. Kay received a little note from one of the waiters in the restaurant. It was from Cassian, it was about someone and something he had to take care of alone but would come back later that day. 

Kay Tuesso sighed in defeat. “Ese pendejo se va matar.”

_The only person who never gave up on Cassian was Jyn Erso. I admired her for it. She still believed Cassian had some good in him, something could be saved, that maybe his soul could be forgiven. I didn’t share the luxury of hoping. I came to terms Cassian was a monster. As much as it pained me to say._

Cassian Andor drove with a cigarette in his hand. It was early in the morning to start smoking but he didn’t care, the rough and warm smoke calmed his nerves and helped him relaxed. The poor fool had severe anxiety since he was twelve and the only thing that worked was the dependent cigarette. 

Guadalajara was a beautiful city. The birthplace of mariachi and and tequila. A place where many people with power came and stayed, a safe place where the government wouldn’t call the army for them. Even at this hour, the city was livid. People selling what they could to the tourists and kids screaming because they didn’t want to go to school. Yes, Guadalajara was a beautiful place. Cassian had wished Culiacán was like that. 

He didn’t even know the home address, the last time he saw him was back when he was nineteen. When he left his home and began his career as a smuggler and killer. The last time he saw him, they ended in bad terms. Cassian knew he lived in Guadalajara for what his father used to say or how Pedro used it to mock and make Cassian vulnerable. But apart that, Cassian didn’t have the minor idea where did he lived. Or where did he go to eat. He had to pay the DFS to find out. 

Smoking was the only thing Cassian had left. The only thing he was dependent of and the only thing that would never let him down or hurt him. 1976 was a crazy year for him and 1978 was going to be even worse, everyone would be his enemy and the only thing that would not hurt him—or at least not without him knowing—was the familiar scent of the cigarette. 

He pulled over a house. It was a small house in a not-so-bad neighbourhood. It had a beautiful exterior, a little garden with what could be seen as mint. Cassian couldn’t help but grin a bit. If time or maybe fate had done things differently, the kid could’ve been a great rancher. Maybe helped Kay with the fields. And he would’ve been Cassian’s right hand. The grin faded after that last thought. He remembered why he was there in the first place, to try to convince him. To try to end things differently. 

He inhaled the smoke one last time before throwing the butt out on the street. He let the warm nicotine sit for a while on his throat. To clear it. He didn’t want to stutter when he would face him. He closed his eyes as he exhaled. He needed to put his hard face, the face that would build an entire empire not the face of a hurt person. He needed to be the Business Man and not Cassian Andor. 

He walked with such confidence to the doorstep. All trace of anxiety or pain was gone. All that was left was some hollow pair of eyes and a face of a man with no emotion. But he did hesitate for a second when knocking, in one second, he thought if it was worth it. But it passed very quickly as he knocked twice. 

“¡Ya vengo!” A young voice yelled. 

Cassian wanted to throw up. That voice hasn’t changed in years and he doubted it would. It reminded him of a childhood long lost. But he shook the bile away and reminded himself that childhood had died long ago.

The door opened and revealed a man. A year younger than Cassian. He frowned immediately when he saw him. He wore an uniform, the municipal uniform of Guadalajara. His hair was shorter than Cassian’s but had the same strong black than him. He did have moustache, a moustache that reminded Cassian of younger years. His plaque read the next.

**Andor**

”Cassian.” The man greeted him with hostility and surprise. 

“Tenoch.” Cassian said back. 

“What brings you here?”

”Business.”

”You shouldn’t have come here, Cassian. You shouldn’t have come to my house nor my city.” Tenoch was about to close the door in Cassian’s face when the last one stopped him. 

“Your city? Have you forgotten you were born in Badiraguato, Sinaloa? Have you forgotten Kay was born there as well, Baze?” Cassian’s voice rose a little.

”Don’t compare me to your ‘business’ buddies, Cassian. Sinaloa is dead to me and for what it looks, it’s dead to you, too.”

Cassian’s posture didn’t change a bit. “Let me enter, I have a business proposal to make.”

Tenoch snorted. “I heard from the DFS that someone had come with a proposal for the Naranjo brothers and didn’t go well.”

Cassian rolled his eyes. “I won’t kill you, Tenoch. And my proposal wasn’t for them.”

”Oh, look. My big brother using people to get his own, what’s new?” There was a pinch of pain in Tenoch’s tone. But Cassian didn’t want to catch it. 

“No te pongas así, Tenoch.”

”Dad was right. You’re monster, you’re a killer. You shot the Hernan Naranjo and didn’t even care.”

Cassian snorted and rolled his eyes. “I did your job, Tenoch. Weren’t they traffickers?”

”Just like you.”

”No, not like me. I’m actually making my dream come true, it’s all done. I just need a little favour of you.”

Tenoch sighed. “Last time I saw you, you told me that you were going to make an empire and be the Boss or Bosses.”

”And I’m doing it. I’m making it come true. I’m working for it.”

”By killing your enemies, Cassian. Or by using your allies for your own personal goals. You twist people’s mind and make them do things they don’t want to because you’re Cassian Andor.”

Cassian was getting frustrated by how it was all going. The conversation was going nowhere. “That last name is the only reason you’re still alive and you’re a cop.”

”You know? It pains me. Maybe more than dad or mom. It pains me see my big brother, the one I once looked up to, be this.” He pointed in disgust Cassian’s whole being. “A low-life criminal.”

”What about Tío Beto?”

”He was not even part of the family. You brought the name Andor to shame.”

Cassia looked down and then he looked at the eyes of his little brother. “I didn’t come here for you to tell me what’s right and what’s wrong. I came here to give you a business proposal and if you don’t want it, fine by me. You can fuck yourself and you can fuck your moral code.”

”It’s not to late to change your mind, Cassian. You go down this path and you’re going to end up gunned down in some rooftop.”

Cassian faced his little brother. “And if you keep this up, you’re going to die before me. And it won’t be pretty.”

Tenoch looked hurt but his pride got the best of him. “Are you threatening me?”

”Why not? You said it yourself, I’m a monster, a cold-hearted killer. You gotta remember that the system doesn’t like heroes and I’m just doing what the fucking market tells me. You could’ve been part of this but you denied.”

”You wanted me to help you build and empire of drugs!” Tenoch yelled. “You wanted me to quit the Academy and to be you! You had been charged with murder and you wanted me?! You were dragging me to my grave.”

”You have two options here, Tenoch. Two. Options. And it’s your choice. Either you don’t get nosey and stay out of my business or you find things you don’t want to find and face the consequences. And I won’t do anything if you choose the second one.” Cassian had the gift of being intimidating very quickly. His demeanour could change like the wind and this one of those times. 

Tenoch stood there, in his doorway, thinking. Cassian was an impatient man but he decided to wait. Maybe his brother would choose wisely. Tenoch sighed in defeat after a couple of minutes, he ran his hand through his hair just like Cassian did when he was worried. 

“I won’t get all over your business, Cassian. You can go now knowing that the only honest cop in Guadalajara won’t interfere with whatever you’re doing. But in one condition.”

Cassian nodded. 

“You don’t ever come to my house again. You don’t mention you have a brother and we never meet again.” Tenoch said. 

“Ey. Está bueno.” Cassian nodded and began turning to leave. The deal was done. There was nothing else for him to say, nothing would change his little brother’s mind. He would be just wasting his time. 

Tenoch saw how his brother’s car drove away until his eyes couldn’t follow it anymore. He was holding tears. Cassian was once a good man, a man with morals and values, a man you could look up to. And Tenoch admired his big brother once. He loved him more than anything. But Cassian changed and his goals as well. He became a monster who Tenoch couldn’t follow, couldn’t look up to.

But he still held up hope that Cassian would change his mind, that the once big brother would come back. Because the last thing Tenoch wanted was to hear in the news that they killed his brother and see it as good news. He didn’t want to. He sighed and returned to his house. 

As if nothing had ever happened. 

* * *

**Six months later.**

”Today is a memorable day.” Cassian smiled. “Today, we’re going to show those gringos how Mexicans can do it.”

Some people smiled. Especially the senators or governors. 

“Today, history will be made. Because today, we all decide to become one. A family, of a sorts. Así que ya sé chingaron.” He let a chuckle escape his lips. “As a family, we’re going to procure for ourselves and as a family, we’re going to be there for one another. Because what’s family if you cannot count with them?”

Some people nodded in agreement. 

“You’re all going to be rich. Richer than you can imagine. No gringo, ni su pinche presidente va ser más rico que ustedes. But this won’t be done without sacrifices. And it’s going to be tough, especially when we are all so fucking stubborn. But I believe we're going to make it. Because we Mexicans fight for what we want and no cause is lost if there’s but one fool left to fight for it.”

He raised his glass. “This is for us, for this great organization of amazing people. Thanks to the DFS, we will control the whole weed market and we’re going to be the biggest exporters of it. This is for the bruises we amassed throughout the years and the bruises we will amasse today and tomorrow. So, let’s have a toast for the hits life throws our way, with time, they’re what makes us stronger!”

”¡Salud!” Kay exclaimed and everyone toasted. “For Cassian Andor!”

”And for my—my boss, Pedro Avilés, who without we wouldn’t be all here.” Cassian added ever so quickly. 

Baze nodded. “For the hits that life will throw our way and for the Boss of Bosses, Cassian Andor!”

Pedro Avilés looked vivid. He looked at Cassian and then at Baze. Cassian like him, didn’t have a minor idea what was going or if Baze just fucked him because of the Chirrut thing. But Baze smiled to his old friend with such cruelty and pointed at the new director of the DFS, Orson Krennic, who waved at Pedro before going back to chatting with a senator. 

We can all say Pedro Avilés didn’t make it through the night. And Cassian was okay with that. 

* * *

“You did what?!” Leia yelled at Jyn. 

“I saw an opportunity and I took it.” She defended herself. “I didn’t do much, we just chatted for a while.”

”Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? What happened if he realized who you were? What then? He’ll kill you.” Leia had some valid points. 

“Leia, I knew what was the risk but I don’t care. The dirtbag needs to go down and I know this city is corrupt as fuck, we won’t get anything done if we follow the rules.”

Jyn had gone back to her house after such encounter with Cassian Andor just to find Bodhi Rook and Leia Organa at her doorstep. One of them looking extremely pissed off. 

“You just can’t come here and change the rules because you feel like it. It doesn’t work like that!”

”And what to do you think he’s doing?! He’s making an organization, a fucking trafficking organization!”

”The next time you do something like that, you will be discharged and will never set a foot here. We’re a family now, and we must care for each other like that, okay?” Leia sighed.

”Yes, ma’am.” Jyn answered. 

“It’s Leia.” She smiled.

Jyn smiled back. 

“So, are you sure they’re doing an organization?”

”As sure as I can be.” Jyn said. “You can ask Bodhi.”

”I—I know they never done this before and Cassian Andor is hosting it. He’s never done this before—I was insinuating, that’s all.”

Leia nodded. “Next time you tell me or Luke before doing anything stupid, alright?”

They both nodded. 

“Let’s go, Bodhi. It’s late at night and Agent Erso must sleep.” 

Bodhi nodded as he went along Leia to the pick up car of Luke. 

Jyn Erso did not sleep that night. She rather went to a local bar and try to plan ahead Cassian Andor. Also, she could get to know the locals and maybe even help her. She didn’t drink as much, she just stared at a wall and sighed sometimes. The bar was almost empty, maybe because it was almost Christmas and people wanted to be with their family. There was no one expect the bartender, Jyn and three drunk guys. 

“A penny for your thoughts?” 

She looked up and a saw a man, a cop more or less. He was drunk and in service it seemed. He held in his hand a Corona and in the other a photo, a photo she didn’t see the faces of but from what it looked like, it was a photo that brought painful memories. 

“Who are you?” She asked. 

“Tenoch. Tenoch Andor.”

”Brother of Cassian Andor?” She suddenly became interested in the drunk cop. 

He laughed bitterly. “By name and blood, I guess. Haven’t seen him in years. Do you know him? Are you one of his...girls?”

Jyn laughed. “No, I’m someone interested in catching him and his partners. Do you work for him?”

Tenoch shook his head. “No, no I don’t. I’m an honest cop, the last one in my family. Cassian and I had a fallout—if you can call it that—long ago, wait, you said you wanted to catch him?”

Jyn shrugged. “Is that so wrong?”

Tenoch drank from the bottle. “No. In fact, I would help you if I knew what he’s doing this days. I’m not even sure he’s in Guadalajara.”

The drunk Tenoch seemed sincere, Jyn decided to trust that he hadn’t seen his brother in years and didn’t even know what he was doing. 

“What are you doing here? So close to Christmas Eve?” He asked as he slurred the word ‘Eve’.

”What are you doing here?” Jyn asked back. 

Tenoch laughed. “Fair enough. I’m here because my freaking life is miserable and I’m single, no one to come home with. No family.”

”My mom died when I was kid, thanks to the traffickers in my town, my father was forced to help in the fields and he got killed when he snitched to the DEA. I got no family either.” Jyn sighed. 

“My mom is dead because of a broken heart, my father doesn’t even talk to me and my brother? Well, who the hell knows?” He drank again. He then took the picture and left it in the table. 

“Family is the most important thing in life, Jyn Erso. Without it, you’re all alone in this world. No one here survives without a family. It can be either by blood or by choice. My brother knows it. And I hope you know it, too.”

Jyn furrowed her eyebrows. “Did I ever tell you my name?”

Tenoch smiled. “I saw it on your license. Also because I was informed the DEA sent a new agent by the name of Jyn Erso and your accent makes me believe it’s you.”

”Smart man.”

”Not as smart as my brother.” Drank again. “Well, Erso, I must go. Have a nice night.” He walked without balance and didn’t even pick up the photo. 

The photo was two kids. One of them was taller and older than the other. They were smiling for the camera. They would have eleven maybe twelve years old. They looked happy. Jyn looked at the other side of the photo in which it said. 

For the hits life throws your way. With time, they’re what makes you stronger. You and your brother. 

Jyn took the photo and decided to call it a night as well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you want Cassian and Jyn to have a kid? This is because I need to think of a date where Cassian gets arrested and I need to know if he would have a kid.


	7. The Godfather Mistake.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nadie es perfecto. Hasta el Padrino puede cometer errores, y cuándo los cometa, la DEA va estar lista. 
> 
> So be careful, Cassian, your enemies await patiently for your first mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should seriously stop making these chapters in the middle of the night. Eh.

_No one truly care what happened to Pedro Avilés. He was an asshole that made people angry. No one complained when Cassian Andor took the role of the Boss of Bosses. He was the one with the idea, he was the one with the vision. In a few days, he had started what would be the Cártel of Guadalajara. But even in Christmas, problems can arise._

“What do you mean he killed him?!” Cassian Andor paced around his office. He had made a whole floor out of his hotel for his business with the last room being his office. 

Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus were there. Cassian had decided to make them partners, if you could say, of his business. Kay was Head of Fields & Exportation while Baze was Head if Internal & External Affairs. Two completely different things. But for the first time and not last, they both had the same news. 

It had been two weeks and three days since Cassian closed the deal with all the traffickers, it had been two weeks and three days since anyone saw Pedro Avilés and it had been two weeks and three days since he saw the woman Jyn. In those two weeks and three days, Cassian had done a lot. Calling here and there, spending time kissing the right asses and beginning to smuggle Kay’s mota to the United States of Gringos. He barely left his office. 

Kay was dressed in some tore jeans and a fifty dollar black shirt with some jewelry that matched his black shoes, Baze didn’t even bother to try and find a new look, he was the same as ever, the only difference is that he now carried a gun, which Cassian had some opinions but, Baze was Baze about it. Cassian Andor dressed a grey suit with a expensive Rolex, a ring—that meant nothing—and sunglasses around the collar of the white shirt underneath the suit. 

“Well, it means he killed him but it still doesn’t change anything.” Kay said. 

“The family wants to see blood but Kes is too valuable for that. He’s the one that helps Han Solo and Melshi smuggle the product to the gringos. Krennic told Kes about the money stolen from them. He then proceeded to give Kes a “Christmas gift” by killing the cousin.” Baze explained. 

Cassian sighed as he paced around the room. He hadn’t slept in days and it showed, cigarettes butts all around the room, two bottles of alcohol in the trash and two medication pills in his desk. For some people, that was a sign of losing control of your business, of losing control of yourself but that’s because you’d never met Cassian Andor, his disorganization around his personal space made him a better leader. He didn’t sleep because it was a habit of not sleeping, all was a habit—an unhealthy habit—to maintain control. 

“And it had to be on Christmas Eve!” He exclaimed. “What are our options?”

Baze shrugged. “Either we give them Kes or they pull out the business and we all die in less than a month.”

Cassian grabbed a bottle of the two medication pills and took two pills put it in his mouth. He grabbed the coffee Kay brought him and drank them. It may be odd that at the age of twenty-six, Cassian had already troubles which needed pills but it was a problem he had since he was twelve. Severe anxiety. And insomnia. He didn’t take the insomnia pills but he did took the anxiety ones. With a cigarette, they helped him get through each of his days. But he wasn’t dependent of them. 

“Do you have any suggestions about what we can do?” He asked once done. 

Kay didn’t say anything and looked at the old rag of Baze for an answer but the man just gave a careless sigh. “We just tell you the problems. You solve them. That’s why you’re boss and not us.”

Cassian rolled his eyes. “No chinges, Baze. I’ve been working my ass off for this organization and handle—if I may say so—with professionalism and tranquility all problems thrown my way. But it wouldn’t hurt to have you throw me a suggestion.”

”What do you want me to say, Flaco? That we should give them Kes Dameron? Come on! He’s one of our best, that would be like handling Han Solo or Ruescott Melshi to the DEA.”

”He has family, Cassian. He’s expecting a kid. His wife—apart from being a great smuggler—is pregnant. Although, there’s a 68% chance that she might be leaving the organization after her baby is born-”

Cassian shook his head. “Don’t. I’m not in the mood for your possibilities or odds. I’ll figure something out by midnight. I know.”

Baze stood up and yawned. “I really hope you do. Because we’re all celebrating Christmas with our families. Me and Chirrut are going to Melshi’s restaurant with Solo. And I think Kay here is doing a party in Michoacán.”

Kay nodded. “Ey.”

”And what are you doing, Andor?”

Cassian shrugged. “I’m going to stay up late again and think of something.”

Baze looked unimpressed. “Work, Flaco? ¿Acaso no tienes familia con quién pasar la navidad?”

_Cassian Andor never had someone to spent the holidays with. He only had Kay but Kay had family he wanted to visit sometimes. Andor couldn’t blame him really. He had a family. Something Cassian lost long ago._

He gave a careless nod. “Ey.”

Oh but deep down he cared. He cared a lot. 

Kay gave a sincere smile to Cassian. “Well, we should let you work. This empire is not going to build itself.”

Baze snorted. “He’s been Head of the organization for six months now.”

”Technically speaking, he wasn’t since the traffickers weren’t on board. And it was Pedro-”

”Out.” Cassian cut the conversation before they would sit down again. “Out of my office right now.”

Baze and Kay slipped through the door and Cassian sighed as he sat down. He was not going to give his empire to the fucking asshole of Orson Krennic. He wasn’t going to lose his empire in just six months. He was the Business Man. He knew how to manipulate people at his own will, he knew all of that. He had the beginning of a plan, a plan both Kay and Baze wouldn’t approve of. But he was the Boss Of Bosses in the end. 

He grabbed his phone and dialed a number. 

“¿Bueno?” The cocky voice of Han Solo answered the phone. 

“Solo. What are you doing now?” Cassian leaned back and he saw how the line stretched. 

“Not much, boss. Drinking and later I have to visit Melshi at his airport.”

”Come here now, I have a solution for the Damerons problem. In fact, I got two.”

Han Solo seemed to think of it. “What are you thinking of, Andor?”

Han Solo was one of the few people who could refer to Cassian by his name or last name. He was one of the few people who had the privilege of being part of the inner circle. His friends and big pawns in the game Cassian was playing. Han Solo was extremely valuable and a good liar and didn’t question the jobs Cassian put him. The only thing the Business Man hated was the cockiness and extreme confidence of Solo. 

“In my organization, Solo.” Cassian answered. 

“Is this approved by your partners?”

”What do you think?”

Han laughed. “I think I shall be there in ten.”

”No te pases, cabrón. El Camelot está a tres minutos de aquí.”

“It takes me seven minutes to get to the door and the three minute walk equals ten minutes.”

Cassian rolled his eyes. “Now. Just now!”

Han Solo knew when to actually obey Cassian Andor and when to play with him. There was a line, an almost invisible line that no one could cross. Han Solo was the few who knew where that line stood and was careful not to step on it. 

“At your orders, sir.”

And Cassian hung up the phone before grabbing it again. He punched a bunch of numbers but then, hesitation set in and he hung up the phone again. 

He sighed once more. He stood up, grabbed his keys and the DFS badge that was given to him before storming out the office.

He met Han Solo halfway and began explaining his plans.

“Where are we going?” He asked when Cassian was going to the garage of the hotel.

The Business Man opened his car’s door and started it. “To Melshi and the Kes.”

”It’s very early in the morning, boss.”

“And yet you were drinking, come on, Solo. We’re grabbing Chewie on the way.”

Han went over the passenger side. He entered the car and Cassian began driving. “After this, I want you to plan a Christmas party. It’s going to be here in the hotel and also, I want you to grab twenty percent of my profits and give them to the poor.”

Han furrowed an eyebrow. “The Christmas party, I can do but why the hell do you want to give them twenty percent of your profits?”

“Es la víspera de Navidad, Solo. Son para sus regalos.” He smiled as he put on his sunglasses. 

_Cassian Andor wasn’t stupid. He knew that the people of Mexico hated the Gringos like he did. When the day would come, the Mexicans would be his safe bet. So, he decided to buy their silence and affection by donating each month 20% of his profits to them. He bought businesses and gave them to the rightful owners. He was said to be Jesús Malverde of the modern times. In his ten year “rule” he gave more than four billion dollars to the poor. And they were the reason he was too hard to catch._

* * *

For two weeks, the DEA had tried to their best to know more about the new, well, they didn’t know what to call it. There hadn’t been anything like that in Mexico. They finally noticed what was under their noses all along. Thanks to what Jyn Erso did, they finally made connections to whatever was going on. 

Turns out, Cassian Andor and his buddies were the owners of half the businesses of all Guadalajara. Legally, Cassian Andor was the owner of two major banks, a chain of pharmaceutical companies and was an investor in agricultural territory. Kay Tuesso was the owner of two major agriculture companies and owned three car shops around Guadalajara and with Cassian, he shared profits with the banks. Baze Malbus was the owner of four businesses, had over a dozen agricultural fields and he was the co-owner a bank with Kay. 

Of course, that was all bullshit, those business were all for the money laundering. For six months, they kept laundering money and secretly preparing for the event of the year. That event happened two weeks ago, when Jyn made contact with Cassian. For what Bodhi said—he still suffered with some anxiety attack but wanted to help—no trafficker had done it. And they should be careful of him. 

It was pointed that Cassian Andor was the big Godfather of the operation. He was spotted a few times around his hotel, always wearing suits and sunglasses. And a phone at his hand. The DEA had contacted Mexican government but still no answer, Jyn understood that once because it was Christmas weeks.

That day had been like any other day, they were listening and hoping something fell on their lap. Anything useful for them to identify the roles of the drug lords. It was around 9 am in the morning when Luke came around with a tape in his hands, smiling like the damn idiot he was. Jyn was reading about Tenoch Andor and his brother, to see who he really was. Leia was with Jyn and Bodhi was playing with his hands. 

“Good news, amigos.”

Jyn and Leia’s eyes went to Luke. He threw the tape to his sister’s lap and looked satisfied with himself. “Seems like our friend Cassian has a problem in his hands.”

”What kind of problem?” Jyn asked. 

“The bad one.” Luke smiled. “Turns out, Mexicans are really stubborn. Kes Dameron found out some other family was stealing from him and ordered to have one of their cousins killed. Now, the family wants to see blood or they will pull out.”

Leia frowned. “If any of them pull out...”

”It means the others could, too. And then our friend the Business Man is fucked. But he can’t give Dameron just like that, the young man is responsable of 2% of his profits.”

Jyn nodded. “So, he needs to find a solution and quickly, right?”

Luke nodded. “I heard in this tape that he just organized a Christmas party and Kes Dameron and the family of the cousin will show up. He might as well just found his solution.”

”Or it means he is just buying himself time. Making it seem like he already found an answer to all their problems and they just have to wait until the party to hear it. It’s smart, like that no one will pressure him or bother him to know how he will resolve it.” Jyn proposed. 

Leia nodded in agreement. “That’s very good for us, right?”

Luke nodded. “Of course it is, little sister. He’s vulnerable right now-”

”-And more pa-paranoid.” Bodhi spoke. “I met him once and he straight out scared me, he doesn’t trust in anyone except Kay and Baze, he kept his guard low and tried to not draw attention to himself. He’s not the class of man who makes a mistake twice.”

”Well he did now.”

Jyn frowned. “I’m with Bodhi in this once. He might be vulnerable but that’s just more reason to be careful, people like him don’t like to be vulnerable and he will try to defend himself in any way he can.”

”I also intercepted another call, in code. Cassian is right now at his hotel but instead of his office, he’s in the lobby doing owner stuff, I guess.”

”Or keeping appearances. When everything’s out of control, the boss or leader has to do like he knows what he’s doing. Even if he doesn’t have a clue.” 

She then stood up and grabbed her jacket. 

“Where the heck you’re going?” Leia demanded. 

“To the hotel?”

”Absolutely no. That’s too dangerous.”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “Come on, Leia. He already met me once. And if he’s stressed, well maybe I can get him a bit drunk and get information out of him. Luke can come and do like he’s another costumer if you want.”

Leia thought for some minutes before sighing. “If you feel like he’s unto you, get out and if you disobey, that’s it and you pack your bags.”

”As you say, Leia.”

* * *

_Unlike Pablo Escobar, Cassian had the Mexican government in his side. That’s why it all worked in tune. He wasn’t your stereotypical drug dealer who spent all his money in weird shit and made chaos all around or killed everyone who saw him funny. No, first, he didn’t even consider himself as a trafficker, second, he never liked to draw attention to himself. He usually worked in the shadows and third, didn’t kill unless it was absolutely necessary, well, said he._

Cassian Andor didn’t consider himself as an alcoholic, he wasn’t like Kay or Baze who could easily chug two bottles before noon.

He liked drinking sometimes, only in moments where he felt like the cigarette didn’t calm him down or not like it usually did. Today was one of those days, he sat in a bar stool smoking his fourth cigarette and chugging down his Mezcal shots. He was going through the plan all over againand trying to find some flaws, something that could end him. He only hoped there wasn’t any.

“Still here I see.”

He looked for the owner of that voice and found her. It was the same woman who he met two weeks ago—Jyn if he wasn’t mistaken. She seemed to just arrived and had a smirk in her face. 

Cassian shrugged. “As you.”

Jyn sat down next to him. “Well I’m sorry if didn’t see you in weeks but you seem like a very busy man.”

”What are you doing here?” He asked inhaling the smoke. 

“What? You don’t want my company?” Jyn faked hurt but in reality, she hoped he wouldn’t kill her. 

Cassian shook his head. “No, no es eso. I’m just saying, a woman like you, still here in this hotel right in Christmas Eve.”

“I could say the same about you, Mr. Andor. It seems like your home is this hotel—that by the way, I still stand with my opinion about the owner.”

That made the corners of Cassian’s lip form into a small smile. Luke was not far away and was pretending to read the newspaper. He was surprised as how Cassian Andor seemed to lower his defences too quickly around Jyn. 

“For your information, I haven’t hooked up with someone in weeks.” He exhaled the smoke. 

Jyn grabbed a bit of his Mezcal. She’s not supposed to drink when in service but you only live once in Mexico. “Oh, poor you, that must be hard!”

”Like you said, I’m a busy man and not a complicated one, too. Me quedo solo por la mayor parte de mis días.”

”Oh, yes. You’re bound to an eternity of being alone.”

Cassian rolled his eyes in amusement. “Funny how you always show up in moments where I need to be cheered up. Are you a wizard or what?”

”I guess I can read you very well.”

”No one can read me, Stardust. That’s why I’m such good businessman, I surprise people with my innovative ideas.”

He had called her Stardust. There was only one person in the world who had called her Stardust. And that person was dead, her father. She didn’t know exactly how to react to that information and he seemed to know it. 

“What?” She faked. 

He laughed for the first time since she arrived. “Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen Erso, one of the engineers of Pedro Avilés. I believe he was shot by accident? That’s why you’re here, aren’t you?”

She sighed. He had missed an important piece of information. Her father had tried to make his wrongs right by informing the DEA about Avilés’s fields and he found out and killed him. But it seemed like Cassian didn’t have that information or at least she liked to hope he didn’t. 

She kept her cool. “Oh, wow. The man knows his stuff.”

Cassian shrugged as he inhaled the smoke. He then exhale. “How much do you know exactly about your father’s work at the mercy of Pedro Avilés?”

Jyn imitated Cassian’s expression. “How much do you know about his work?”

He eyed her. Studied her before answering. “Fair enough, Stardust. Let’s say you and I both know enough.”

”Cheers to that.” She raised the bottle. 

“Why are you here? Tell me the truth, I know this is not a coincidence, how could it? Tell me the truth, why are you in my hotel and why you keep talking with me?”

She had to make something up right there and right now. If she stuttered a bit, he was going to find out and she would be dead. His black eyes felt like they were piercing her souls and for just one little second, she felt like kissing him but of course, it died down when she realized she had to make something up. 

“I heard about a new player in town, someone who was making the plazas work together and was doing it so with Avilés blessing. I needed to check that out and I met you. And I heard people talk, and I know it’s you. You’re the new player in town who put the plazas together, aren’t you?”

”And why did you needed to check that out?”

”Because I want to join, I have contacts around Tijuana and even some with some powerful politicians around that border. I wanted to contribute for the cause my father gave his life for.” She wanted to puke because of the words but she needed to sell it. 

Maybe it was because he liked Jyn ever since she stepped in his hotel, maybe because he saw something sincere in her eyes, or maybe it was because he was too stressed to think straight when he offered her the next. 

“I’m hosting a Christmas Eve party here tonight. If you want you can come and you can show my partners and I your sweet skills. If I see them useful, you’re in.”

Jyn smiled. “And if not?”

”Then you will meet your father again.”

“Ey.” She gulped.

* * *

“That went well.” Luke said sarcastically as they entered the DEA offices. “It’s not like he could’ve killed you any moment then.”

Jyn smiled. “Relax, Luke. You’re missing the whole picture. I’m invited to his Christmas party tonight. Do you have any idea of how great that is? I can hear it all and I will know what we need to know.”

”Sure that’s fine but how will you tell my sis-” Luke stopped midway. 

Jyn and Luke both stopped dead on their tracks. Leia was talking with someone, a man with a cop uniform. He seemed the same age as Jyn. When they entered, Leia and he stopped talking as he stood up. And met the eyes of Jyn. She had knew those eyes but in different places and in different people. Those were the same black as coal eyes of Cassian Andor but instead of empty hollowness and greedy ambition, these eyes showed passion and sincere determination. 

The man looked a lot like Cassian. Only younger and with a moustache. Jyn had met him only once and that was when he was drunk and left the photo. 

That was Cassian’s brother. Tenoch Andor. 

“Agent Erso, Agent Skywalker, I want to meet-”

”Tenoch Andor.” Jyn said. 

He laughed. “Nice to see you again, mija. You have something of mine.”

Jyn walked to her drawer and pulled out the worn photo he left and gave it to him. He took it, looked at it once and then stuffed it into one of his pockets. 

“You’re Cassian’s brother?” Luke said.

”Ey. But I haven’t seen him in years.” He lied. He had seemed him just six months before but he was holding true to his promise. 

“What brings you here?” Jyn asked. 

“Just passing through for my photo that I forgot that day.” He shrugged. 

“Seems a bit late, don’t you think? Two weeks late.”

”What can I say? I’m a busy man.”

Jyn nodded. “Funny, your brother said the same.”

Tenoch glared for two seconds at her before clearing his throat. “Well, I gotta go. I have patrol this afternoon and I want to end my shift a bit early. Thanks for keeping my photo safe, it means a lot to me.”

He passed by Jyn and stopped when he was right beside her. He shared the same intimidating trait as his brother but this was unintentional not like Cassian’s. 

“Going to party later?” She teased. 

He laughed but there was not humor in it. “Be careful, Agent Erso with who you’re treating with. Al sistema no le gustan los héroes.”

He looked at the others and gave a respectful nod. “Feliz Nochebuena, señores.”

He them walked away and left the DEA offices. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After watching Rogue One after some years, I decided this book will have a similar ending to Rogue One. Because that was the essence of the film, also Narcos: Mexico even if the second season is not on Netflix yet, we all know it’s going to have a bittersweet ending.


	8. The Beginning Of The Hunt For Cassian Andor.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of a hunt, a hunt that lasted more then eight years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take my little Easter egg of title.
> 
> Also, please don’t take offence about what Tenoch says about the DEA. I don’t want problems.

_Cassian Andor had a plan for everything. To how he would make his weed grow to how to escape when the day came. He was such meticulous man, nothing ever escape his eyes. He knew everything about you. When he saw something, he didn’t see what it was rather what could it be. When he started something, he knew how it was going to end._

**A few hours before.**

“Are you sure about this, Andor?” Han Solo looked up. “This is dangerous as fuck, if they know you had anything to do with this..” He trailed off. 

They were parking outside a house in the outsides of Guadalajara. A nice house which seemed cozy and gave a vibe of familiarity. It was Kes Dameron’s house, a nice house again. Because when you get 30,000$ a week, you can afford the little things in life. 

“I know, Solo. That’s why after we talk with him and Melshi, you’re going back to drinking in the Camelot and I’m going back to the hotel.”

Solo snorted. “Te vale madres todo lo qué construiste ¿A qué no?”

“All the contrary, Han. I’m doing the best to keep it afloat.” Cassian smiled and got out the car. 

Funny how things changed, six months ago, he wouldn’t even think of putting a grey suit with a white shirt, or having a Rolex. He didn’t think he would trim his beard and get a haircut. He was trying to be someone he wasn’t. Even if it hurt him, he was still the same kid who had a gambling problem long ago. 

It was Han Solo who knocked three times. Cassian half-thought no was gonna answer, it was an obvious choice because they never told Kes they were coming. But the door was opened seconds later, a sleeping Kes who’s smile and heart dropped when he saw Cassian. 

_A visit from the Boss Of Bosses means two things and two things only. Either you did something so good, something of amazing that he in person was going to congratulate you or give you a promotion. Or, you fucked up so badly that he was going to be the one that would kill you, personally. There was no in between and it was up to you to know which one he was there for._

“C-Cassian.” The poor of Kes breathed out. “What do I own the pleasure?”

Cassian took of his sunglasses as he sighed like a disappointed father. “Do you realize what position did you put me in? Do you realize the damage of your actions?”

Well, Dameron wasn’t an idiot either, he knew he was needed and he knew those other traffickers were stealing from him, so like anyone with a brain, he was going to use that to defend himself. 

“With all due respect, sir, they were stealing from my people and from me. And it was the DFS who informed me of it, and I think I was in all my rights to have accepted their offer.”

Han Solo snorted at that comment. He knew how everything was going to go down. But still, that was a stupid ass excuse. 

Cassian cleared his throat. “Do you know they’re asking for blood? They want to see your blood spilled or they will pull out and then, we’re all fucked and we all go back to being some ranchers in Sinaloa. Do you wish for that?” His tone rose as he got angrier. 

Kes gulped. “I knew they were going to get mad but I didn’t think it was-”

Cassian slapped him. 

“I didn’t work my ass off for years to let you throw it all down the drain. We’re all family here, Kes! What the fuck did you think they were gonna do?! ¡Necesitamos a esos pinches ‘ladrones’ pa’ que esto jale! Did you understand?!”

Kes looked down in shame and because he didn’t want to anger the boss more. “Yes, sir.”

”I could easily give them Shara. Or maybe the unborn baby, I can even give them you. Everyone can be remplaced, Dameron. Even if you’re the best exporter of the world, there’s always gonna be someone that can do it better. But they all need me because if I’m not here, this organization goes to hell. So. Do you know why I’m here?”

Kes was about to give up. To freaking ask Cassian to kill him but let his wife and baby live. “To kill me.” He hoped he wouldn’t take Shara. If he tried, then he would fight him. 

Cassian pulled out a cigarette out of the box and lit it up. He inhaled the warm smoke and then exhaled. He looked down to Kes, as if looking in pity a kid who lost his candy. He then inhale the smoke once again before sighing. “I’m here to save you.”

Those words made Kes look up. In confusion and maybe hope. “Save me, Patrón?”

”We’re all family here. And family protects each other. In fact, I did something similar to this years ago. Someone gave me a second chance and I think I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t give you a second chance. So, here.” He handed him a phone. 

Kes took it skeptically. “What’s this, sir?”

Cassian took his time to answer because he was enjoying the cigarette. “A phone. A trash phone that only has one number. Mine. I have a plan, well, I got two, this is the back up plan. If things don’t go my way, I’m going to call you and Solo here will drive you to Melshi’s airport with your family and will take you out of the country forever. Understood?”

* * *

“That’s Cassian Andor’s brother?” Luke asked after Tenoch left the scene. 

Leia nodded. “Indeed, he’s a policeman here in Guadalajara. He came here asking for Jyn Erso and then we chatted some.”

Jyn frowned. “What did he say? Did you ask about his brother?”

”Yes. I asked him about his brother and he answered me the same thing as he always, he haven’t seen him in years.”

They all looked at Bodhi. He was playing with his fingers and looking down. 

“Do you know him?” Luke asked in a soft tone. “The guy who walked in? Tenoch?”

Bodhi shook his head. “No. I didn’t ev-even know Cassian had a b-brother. He never talked—or from what I h-heard—about his family.”

Jyn nodded in agreement. “When I met him two weeks ago, he was completely drunk and was talking about how his family had left him all because of Cassian. I don’t think they are in good terms.”

”But how do we don’t know that’s all a farce? If he’s the brother of Cassian Andor, he should have a few tricks up his sleeve like his brother. And he’s a policeman. I’m sure Cassian would’ve at least try to contact him.” Luke explained. 

Leia smiled. “I pulled out his records and his police career. And it’s very interesting, indeed.”

They all got closer to Leia who pulled a three files which said ‘Tenoch Beto Andor’ in black letters. Each of them took one and began reading. Jyn’s one was about his behaviour and social interactions with other policemen. 

(Captain Morán. 1978)

**_Tenoch Beto Andor or how the office call him “El Rudo” is a great policeman, although he has some behaviour issues. He’s a violent man and abuses of power when comes to violence. He comes drunk sometimes and usually has fights with every policemen in his squadron. He has an explosive temperament and can knock out people in one punch. He has been sued for excessive use of force a few times. He does not follow orders too well, or at least he doesn’t follow the ones he thinks aren’t worth following. He does his job and might be the only one of his squadron that’s not afraid of the drug kingpins of Guadalajara. His father has expressed his pride over him a few times, and his brother—we come to believe that his brother will try to buy him._ **

**_I heard from his commanding officer that the squadron gave him the name of “Rudo” because of how he handles everything and that name follows true to Tenoch. Even if he’s a great policeman, he has some anger problems which need to be resolved. I still don’t understand how he hasn’t been fired from his job but that said, I wouldn’t want him to lose his job. He’s the only policeman in Guadalajara that is not scared of going against the Narcos. And I quote._**

**_“If_** _**you support evil, you are evil."**_

_What a hypocrite._

“He has some issues, behaviour issues. He’s a violent man and the Captain has expressed his concerns here. But it doesn’t look like it’s been punished.” Jyn said. 

Leia took a look. “Yeah, seems like it. My file said his career, he started the academy when he was sixteen and something happened when he was eighteen but it’s not clear. It all cuts to when he was nineteen and moved here. It says his brother was signed to the academy in Culiacán as well but he dropped out when he was seventeen. Never completed his training.”

Luke shrugged. “He has no health issues apart from smoking and being a heavy drinker. Although, it says he might be suffering from depression. They need more than just a feeling to actually prescribe medication.”

Bodhi then gave a little jump like he just remembered something. “I-I heard Kay Tuesso talk over the phone with C-Cassian Andor. Something about taking his-his pills. I also heard the word, severe anxiety.”

Jyn gave a huff. “So, the younger brother is depressed and the other has severe anxiety? Why don’t I believe this? Also, my report states Cassian could’ve bought him.”

Leia shook her head. “I don’t think so. If he did, Cassian would have killed you in sight. If he killed the Naranjo brothers, he wouldn’t had problem in killing you.”

Luke then gave a sheepish smile. “About the encounter Agent Erso had with Cassian Andor.”

”What happened?”

”He was unto me. He knew my name and he knew who was my father but he doesn’t know how my father died. He thinks it was all an accident and asked me why have I followed him.”

Leia furrowed her eyebrows. “And what did you tell him?”

”I told him I had contacts in Tijuana that could be useful for his organization and that I wanted revenge for what Pedro Avilés did to my father.”

Leia groaned. 

“Turns out, Cassian Andor invited her to his Christmas party today. To show her set of skills she might have that would be of use in his new organization. If she doesn’t surprise him or something, he will kill her.” Luke explained. 

“I’m about to pull you out.” Leia warned her. “This is putting yourself at risk, putting yourself in a position too vulnerable.”

Jyn nodded. “But Leia, I’m being invited to the narcos party of the year! I can identify the people he works with and we might get the full picture of such organization.”

Bodhi agreed with her. “I-I can go, too.”

The three other agents said at the same time. “No.”

Leia sighed. “Fine. Go to that party and try to find what you can. One other person will come with you, I’m going to have to cash in a favour. This person will go before you and in no circumstances you can do like you’ve met him before, understood?”

”Yes, Leia.”

”This is finished then.”

* * *

**Hours later.**

The Christmas party Han Solo organized for Cassian was espectacular. The whole hotel shone with red, green and white lights giving that Christmas vibe to it. The workers were all dressed in either elf costumes or Santa ones. The parking lot said “To the Pole North” and the fifth floor, where the party was gonna take place looked impeccable. 

Cassian had done all he could for Kes to live and the family not to pull out. Right now all he had to do was to look unworried and happy. He could do that. He’d done it many times before. He lived in the office because he had nowhere else to go. He looked at himself in the mirror, a black suit with the same white shirt of before. His hair was combed with gel and his sunglasses hang from the shirt. He wore a gold chain with a cross out for everyone to see. A Rolex and some expensive shoes. 

Cassian was gonna give Solo a raise for managing that in just a few hours. Hell, the guy had earned the right to call him Cassian or Andor. He was going to give him that. 

He went up his desk and took two other pills. They say you shouldn’t drink them with alcohol but you only live once. And the damn whiskey was too good to let it pass. Once done, he lit his fourth cigarette in an hour and smoked it while thinking. For six months he had being the big fish of the weed business. And it all went well, with money you can buy the whole world. But Andor was an ambitious man with a thirst and hunger for everything. 

His brother had called him. 

That was one of the things that had bothered him the most. His little brother had called him by initiative. Why? That was what he wanted to know. He was going to press the latter, until Tenoch said. 

“Me cansé de ser un pinche policía. Déjame entrarle a tu negocio, guey. No te defraudaré.”

The funny thing about Cassian was that he saw through other people’s bullshit. All of the except his family. That was the only weakness he had. One could easily see that was pure bullshit but Cassian didn’t not—or maybe he did see but decided to ignore it. It’s better to live in the sweet lie than to survive in the bitter truth. So, Cassian had invited him to his party. Just like he did with that girl, Jyn Erso. 

Kay had expressed his concern about inviting someone from the exterior. He didn’t like people so much. His thing was the numbers and fields. Not people. But he did have the right to be concerned. The business was linked to him as well, to Baze and the others. If Cassian did a stupid thing and got them all arrested, well, go figure. That’s why Kay wanted to prevent that before it happen. But Andor saw something in the girl, that feeling that he could trust her. He assured him that he did his research. She was as clean as them. 

Then when he asked about the new DEA agent, Kay shrugged and said. 

“Nothing yet. But I believe the agent won’t come near this hotel if it or whatever doesn’t want to die.”

Someone knocked on his door. 

“Pasa.”

It was Chirrut Îwme. The husband of Baze. Cassian straightened and exhaled the smoke quickly. 

Chirrut was blind but he could see far through what Cassian truly wanted. That was one of his qualities. “Everything’s ready, Cassian. And some of your guests are waiting.”

The Boss Of Bosses nodded. “Thanks, Chirrut. I’m coming right now. I just had to take care of something. It’s done now.”

Chirrut chuckled. “What a nice prison you have here.”

Cassian was standing up when Chirrut made such comment. “Excuse me?”

”I see your true intentions, mijito. You have been trained by others to hide your emotions, your feelings. That’s why you hate being human. You feel vulnerable and weak. You made this hotel your prison. A shield against others.”

”Well, at least this prison I can escape.” He tried to joke.  

Chirrut shrugged. “There is more than one sort of prison, Cassian, I sense that you carry yours wherever you go.”

Cassian stopped and gave a rather frosty reaction to that comment. His mind was going places he did not want to go, or at leasthe did not want to go at that exact moment. He did not realize his hand had started to shake. 

“Do not worry, Cassian.”

“I don’t worry. I overthink.” Cassian smiled. 

“And you smoke a lot, too.” Chirrut’s staff pointed at the half pack of cigarettes. 

“Ey.”

When he entered the big room, the first thing he noticed was the Christmas tree that was right in the middle, shining in red, green and white. Then, he saw Kay dressed with a white suit and some drinks on his hands and Baze, who for the first time looked like an actual business man than a trafficker. 

“¿Qué tal, Flacucho?” Baze greeted him. “Didn’t you tel me you were going to pass Christmas alone?”

”Well, Baze. Sometimes, I have my own secrets to keep.”

”I don’t care at all, Cassian. I love the drinks here but I’m still concerned about inviting a girl you just met.” Kay said. 

“She’s the daughter of Galen Erso and she has contacts with Saw Gerrera. Remember him?”

_Let me tell you something about the trafficking business: It’s always family. So, of course everyone knew Saw a Gerrera just how everyone knew Cassian. They were all a big family. And sometimes, you looked the other way because they were your family. Like I did, for years and years. And like Jyn did._

“Really?” Baze looked impressed. “And where did you find such woman?”

”Sir, your brother has arrived.” Melshi said with a grim expression. 

Kay cleared his throat and smiled at Cassian. “Está bien, cabrón. Todo está bien.”

Cassian smiled and went to find his little brother. He found him in the bar, smoking a cigarette and a drink on his hand. He dressed with a black jacket, a grey shirt some rugged jeans and good shoes. When Cassian showed up, he scoffed. “Who would’ve thought? My big bro found his calling and gives me a good fiesta?”

”Tenoch.” Cassian sat next to him. “I never expect you here.”

”Turns out, life is a bitch. My boss wants to freaking kill me. Because I’m not afraid of my kingpin drug trafficker brother. I’m too “honest” in that line of work. So, why not join you?”

”¿Estás seguro, pariente?”

Tenoch laughed. “You’re a good businessman, Cassian. But I’m a good cop. I know how it all works, hermano. I can get you people’s name, I can get you everything.”

Cassian smiled. “What do you want in exchange?”

Tenoch took a drink. “I want 30% of all your profits and I also want to be Head of your security in this goddamn organization.” He then proceeded to extend his hand. “¿Hecho?”

Cassian took it without hesitation. “Welcome home.”

_Let me tell a story. It doesn’t have a happy ending, and I’m not sure it even has an ending. This the story about how the drug war in Mexico began, how it changed everything. When Jyn Erso came later that night, she didn’t expect to see me. Because I wasn’t the one that Leia Organa had sent in. I entered the blow business because I wanted to. This story doesn’t have an end or at least not the one you think. That night changed it all, it was the beginning of the end. It was the start of the hunt for Cassian Andor, a hunt that lasted around eighteen years._

_Why did I join the business? You may ask. Was it because I was tired of being the good cop in the city? Nah. Eso me vale madres. I became Head of Security for the Guadalajara cartel because when Cassian would go down—because he was going to go down. It was going to be a freaking Mexican who took him out. It was going to be Mexico’s win._

_I joined in to show the Gringos that we could also break the rules. I joined to show the Gringos that a Mexican has more balls than they would ever have._

_I joined my brother’s organization to show them that Mexico was going to end that war without their help._

_¡Viva México!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, after watching a movie I last watched like in 2011, I decided I was going to based Tenoch on one of the main characters.


	9. I Can Change The World.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pues conmigo conociste el amor. 
> 
> Well with me, you met love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should seriously stop making this in the middle of the night.

_Power. It’s a very dangerous thing. We all crave power one way or another. Cassian Andor craved power and he was ready to do whatever it took for it. And he did. His empire was his, and the power the DFS and Mexico gave him, made Andor a God. When you can change a whole country with a word, you’re enemy number one. But the problem with power is that once you started you can’t never stop. Cassian Andor never took cocaine or meth but in a way, power was his addiction which destroyed him in the end._

When Jyn Erso stepped foot on the hotel, what surprised her was how quickly it had changed. She had been there in the morning and it didn’t have all those Christmas decorations. It was like another whole different hotel. She had to admit, Cassian Andor knew how to plan things. 

She wore a black dress without back. She never liked dresses or make up but needed to convince Cassian and his partners to let her in their organization. She made her way to the party room, the first thing she saw as she made her way to the entrance was the big Christmas tree in the middle. A man stopped her, he was big but Jyn had dealt with men bigger than him. 

“Identification, please.” The man grunted. 

“My name is Jyn Erso. I was invited by Cassian Andor?” She replied. 

The man eyed her before talking through the wakie-talkie. The conversation was in full Spanish and some slang here and there but Jyn could make out what they were saying. Something about who actually invited her and if he should let her enter. She waited two minutes before a man with a black suit, a white shirt, sunglasses hanging on the collar of the shirt, black thick hair and those eyes came around. He had a drink in his hand. 

“Let her in, Félix.” He said. “She’s with me.”

The bouncer Félix nodded and let her in. “Pásele, señorita.”

Jyn smiled and went next to Cassian. “Am I that important to you that you had to come here personally?”

”Don’t flatter yourself, Stardust. I don’t want my could-be future partner to die before coming inside.”

”I forgot, you’re gonna kill me if I don’t succeed to convince them.”

Cassian shrugged. “I know you can convince them.” He took a sip from his drink. 

Jyn shrugged as well. “Like you convinced the Naranjo brothers?”

He stopped for a full second before regaining his posture. For a moment, Jyn thought he was gonna kicked her out but the only thing he did was give her a little smile. “You’re someone with no filter.”

”What can I say? I like to speak with the truth.”

”Lies are necessary when the truth is too hard to believe.” He answered as they kept walking around. 

The whole room was enormous, Jyn was amazed and quite scared about how much money Cassian actually had. She could recognize some traffickers and government officials. For example, playing a drinking game was Han Solo with his partner Chewie. Or Kay Tuesso dancing around everyone. She even saw the director of the DFS Orson Krennic. 

Cassian Andor had all those people bought. He basically had all Mexico in his power. The system was corrupt as fuck and Jyn was horrified. How many people were at the mercy of The Boss Of Bosses? Maybe even the whole country. 

“Surprised?” He was very observant and was watching her reactions to everything. 

Jyn shook her head. “A little. It’s a giant party room. And I see many people with money. I almost feel excluded.”

Cassian said nothing as he led her to the bar. He was a bit distracted, the party had started about half an hour and still no sign of the family. He was looking without even looking for them. He shot a glare at Han Solo who nodded and dialed down on the drinking. If the meeting didn’t go as planned, it was going to be him who would drive to Kes’s house and Cassian didn’t want him to get pulled over by driving drunk. 

He needed this to be over and soon. If this continued, it was going to destroy his business. They all needed to understand their place in the hierarchy and he needed to speak with the new director of the DFS about it, too. Cassian had an advantage, it was him who provided the money for them. If they wanted to be someone they were not, he would easily cut them off the deal. Everyone was united by greed and the DFS was not an exception. 

He was the Boss and they all needed to understand it. 

He let Jyn to a stool where he ordered her something to drink. “So, we know you were at the care of an ex-captain, now trafficker Saw Gerrera.”

Jyn nodded. “Indeed. I’ve been with him since I was around seven or eight. Although he left me back when I was sixteen.”

”This is how everything’s going to go down. I have to be somewhere else right now but if I can get my situation under control, I will meet you again. Now, Kay Tuesso my partner will escort you to a room to interrogate you. Don’t worry, he won’t torture you—except if you don’t like math.”

Jyn took a drink out of his. She needed to get him into his good graces. He looked stressed and distracted even if no one else noticed it. “I don’t like it too much.”

Cassian gave a little smile. “Then after you convince him, my other partner Baze Malbus will ask you some questions. If you manage to convince them both, you can enjoy the party and you will begin to work with Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi tomorrow morning.”

”Dalo por hecho.”

”I really hope you so convince them. It would be such shame to kill you.”

”It would be a shame for me because it’s my job, Cassian.” A new voice entered the conversation. A voice that Jyn was now familiar with. 

He dressed with a black jacket, a grey shirt, a pair of rugged jeans and black shoes. He was smiling but his eyes showed some hesitation. 

Cassian introduced them. “Jyn, this is my brother Tenoch. Tenoch, this might be our new partner Jyn.”

”It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jyn. I’m Head of Security here in this, organization. So, I guess if you fail to convince Kay and Baze, we’ll see each other again.”

Jyn knew he wasn’t the one who Leia contacted. She had a feeling in her gut that told her to be careful with her next words. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Tenoch. I really hope we don’t see each other in those circumstances.”

Cassian looked at the hour and then at the entrance. “Well, I have to go, Stardust.” He then whispered something to Tenoch’s ear. 

Tenoch nodded, Cassian shot another look at the entrance and disappeared. Leaving two odd people alone with each other. Tenoch kept drinking as he sat in the stool next to Jyn. “Thank God you did like you never known me.” He said casually. 

“What the Hell are you doing here, Tenoch?” Jyn answered back. From distance it looked like they were having a normal conversation without any worries. 

“¿No me escuchaste? I am Head of Security here now. I’m in the business just like you.” He smiled to keep appearances. 

Jyn drank from her drink. “You’re not the one Leia send, are you?”

”No. I’m here in my own terms. But don’t worry, I’m still in your side. My brother, well, he’s blind when it comes to family.” He then looked at her. “And he seems very fond of you.”

”How are you in our side? You chose your brother.” 

“You’re missing the big picture, Erso. I chose his side to help you. You’re about to enter a world where power, greed and ambition are what moves it. You and I gotta be careful here.”

Jyn laughed as if Tenoch said a joke to her. And in a low voice she said. “Careful with what?”

”Remember who your real enemies are. We’re going undercover here, señorita. We’re going to have to pretend to be this vicious beast who wants power and money. But we need to remember who we truly are. If we forget for a moment, we might as well become them. Power tempts people.”

”Don’t worry. I know I’m here to stop Cassian Andor. And you?”

Tenoch looked at her in the eyes. “My brother likes you. He whispered to my ear to protect you. He seems fond of you. I’m here to protect you both. I don’t want my brother to die in a shooting and I don’t want you to die or forget who you are. You’re a DEA agent. And he’s a drug kingpin.”

Jyn shrugged. “I’m ready to do what it takes to take down your brother, Tenoch. I’m not here to fall in love with him. I’m here to play with him and win this game.”

Tenoch took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it up. “I’m here because Cassian wants to know who’s the new DEA agent who comes from California. If he found it’s you, you’re dead. I can buy you some time.”

”And if they find you helped me?”

He exhaled. ¿Qué importa?”

Jyn then gave a mischievous smile. “Didn’t you say ‘if you support evil, you’re evil’? Didn’t you say that, Tenoch?”

”Sometimes you gotta do bad things to catch bad people, Erso.”

They both stayed in silent the rest of the night. 

* * *

Cassian met with the Director of the DFS and with the family. It was in his office. He was standing while the two brothers of representing the family were eyeing Krennic. 

“I called you here for a problem that happened yesterday. I bet you both know what it is, right?”

”This asshole.” Ralph, the older brother, pointed to Krennic. “Killed my cousin.”

”They we’re stealing from Kes Dameron. If you want to blame someone, blame him.” Krennic sneered.

Cassian shook his head. “Momento. I know you were the one that suggested to go and kill the cousin, don’t do like you’re a saint here. Now, Kes is nowhere to be found. Solo and Ruescott went to his house this morning and he wasn’t there.”

Krennic laughed. “Oh, what surprise! Kes Dameron is nowhere to be found. And I can say I’m a saint, I’m the law. You are the one that breaks the law. I can arrest you easily.”

Cassian’s jaw tensed. “Now. This is how everything’s going to be. I know that Kes was in his rights to go and demand for money he was stolen. However, your cousin was collateral damage and you have all the rights to want blood.”

Ralph nodded. “I want Kes dead.”

Cassian laughed but no humor was behind it. “I’m sorry but that won’t be possible. Kes Dameron is needed in this organization just like you guys.”

”Then we pull out.”

Krennic laughed. “Controla a tus perros.”

Cassian’s hands met with the desk making a big sound. He was angry now. Truly angry. And everyone knew, even Orson Krennic, that when you make the Boss angry, the consequences are severe. They all fell in silence. 

“There’s an order here, an order that must be respected. You guys fucked with the order and now look where it got us. Now, Kes Dameron is going to live, like or not. But I am ready to exchange his life for the one who actually killed your cousin. You may do as you want with that guy but Dameron is untouchable.”

Ralph looked at his brother, they were communicating by looks. Finally, Ralph nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Krennic, however, got some other words to say. “What makes you so sure that I will accept those terms.”

Cassian laughed again. “You’re new in this organization, Krennic. Understand this, I grow the weed, I export the weed and what you do is to make sure no one arrest us or takes the weed. That’s all. You don’t have a say more than that. You’re the one that started all this. But hey, if you want, we can all go to Hell. No more money for any of us. I bet some of your bosses from Mexico City will like those news.”

Krennic looked at Cassian with hate in his eyes. He said nothing. 

“We’re here because, I did this.” Cassian pointed at the whole room. “We stand among my achievement, not yours. I am the one that pays you, I’m the one that’s making your bosses filthy rich. I am the Boss here, understood?”

Krennic sighed. “Como usted diga, Patrón.”

Cassian nodded. “Now, go back to the party, have some drinks together. Do it publicly, so people know this is over. Because it is over. Se acabó.”

The brothers stood up, gave their thanks and left the office. Krennic was still looking at Cassian with hate as he stood. He gave a nasty smile. “I’m here because of the money but the moment it stops flowing and you’re wanted, I personally will put a bullet in between your eyes.”

Cassian nodded. “Ey. The same for you.”

Krennic scoffed and left the room. 

Cassian slummed into his chair. He sighed and grabbed the phone. He dialed a number so carefully, as if someone would come and burst into the room for dialing it too fast. He waited and hoped Kes Dameron answered back. 

“¿Bueno?”

Cassian sighed. “Kes.”

And he wasn’t the only one. Kes Dameron’s voice was filled with relief. “Cassian! Thank God you called, I thought we would have flee the country.”

* * *

Jyn was studying the room as she drank slowly from her drink. She had to remember each of those people’s face to tell Leia. She looked at her right and saw Kay Tuesso shooting a glare towards her, oddly enough, she managed to convince him but that didn’t mean he liked her. He liked her contacts and her power in the business but that was pretty much it. She scoffed at the sight of him and turned to the other side. 

“And she lives!” A warm voice exclaimed. “I had faith in you, Stardust.”

Jyn turned around and saw Cassian Andor standing there, his mischievous eyes following her dress and his smile was as tricky as one of a fox. He looked so calm and collected, his distracted look gone off his face and she saw a ring on his hand. The wrong one, though. 

“I wouldn’t be so easy to kill, sir.” She said as she made her way to him. 

He scoffed. “So formal now, are we?”

”I’m your worker now, sir. And only a few people can call you by your name, jefecito.”

He smiled. “Then you’re one of them.”

She got closer to him, almost touching his lips. “It’s that so, Cassian?”

 _Te he prometido_ of Leo Dan started to play. Cassian looked at the ballroom and then at Jyn. “¿Bailarías conmigo?” He offered her hand. 

She took it without question as he led her to the center of the floor. He put his left hand in her shoulder and he rested his right at her hips. He moved slowly as the song played. Bringing her closer each move until she could swear she heard the beat of his heart. He danced with such grace and such beauty that it made Jyn follow his footsteps. 

“So, how did you convince such partners?” He whispered to her ear. 

She shrugged. “Kay Tuesso asked me a lot of questions. Math related and some of the DEA, while Baze Malbus watched with Chirrut Îmwe by his side. After Kay was done, Chirrut whispered something to Baze and he told me he trusted me already.”

Jyn felt how Cassian’s chest rose and fell. He was laughing silently. “Baze Malbus may be the best husband in the world. He loves Chirrut with all his heart, he trusts his judgment.”

”And you Cassian? Have you ever been in love?” She rested her head in his chest as he moved ever so slowly at the beat of the song. 

“I was married once, in fact. Didn’t last, not even a year. So, you can say I’m still waiting for my princess. My queen. And you Erso? Are you with the cops?”

”Oh, yeah. I’m actually a DEA agent which came here to destroy you. This is all an act, Andor.” She joked. 

“¿Qué tal el dueño del hotel? Is he a better owner than the last one you met?”

”Who knows? He still seems like a douchebag to me.” She smiled with fire in her eyes. 

“Maybe he’s just misunderstood.” He sighed. 

“Aren’t we all a little bit crazy?”

”Geniuses are always branded as crazy.”

”Cheers to that.”

* * *

The party had ended a few hours ago but Tenoch was on a car driving to somewhere in the outsides of the city. He didn’t like it all. Hell no. He wanted to go home and sleep but Han Solo escorted him to a car and since then, no a word. They pulled into a medium, brick house. Filthy and well-hidden from the world. Solo opened the door for him and led him through the house. 

There were no furniture nor anything. Just a bunch of soldiers looking at him funny. Solo led him to a room, with a dim, orange light. Tenoch stopped dead on his tracks. A man was tied to a chair, his face all bloodied and swollen. Blood all over his shirt and splattered on the floor. Another man was with him, his hands were as bloodied as the man tied to the chair. He put down what looked like a power drill and looked at a corner. 

His brother was standing over the shadows. His face hard as stone and unreadable, he leaned his shoulders to the wall. 

“What’s going on here?” Tenoch asked. 

Cassian stepped out of the shadows. Tenoch looked at his brother, just a few hours before he was dancing and drinking with his buddies, smiling like an angel. You wouldn’t even think he was an actual drug kingpin. Now, his cold-hearted stare, hard as stone face and deadly eyes made you think about a painful death. “Bouncer found him trying to pass to the party. He swore he was send by you.”

The man whimpered. “Please, sir. I don’t know anymore. I’m just following orders.”

”Is it true, brother?”

Of course it was true. Tenoch knew the man because he had indeed sent him. His name was Lt. Juárez and was one of Tenoch’s best agents and a good friend. Tenoch knew he was going to get captured and that’s why he chose him. He was collateral damage for the war against the drugs, a sacrifice he was willing to pay. But that still didn’t take the cruelty of it. 

Juárez had invited him to his house, he had met his wife and two children. Tenoch had become a good friend to them, coming over each Sunday. Leo, Juárez’s son was going to be nine in two weeks and Juárez had invited Tenoch to the party in a good will gesture. He had trusted Tenoch Andor and look where it gotten him. 

“Tenoch, te lo suplico.” Juárez pleaded. “Tell him the truth.”

Sometimes you gotta do bad things to catch bad people. 

“Please, tell him the truth! I have a son and a daughter. Please, Tenoch. Te lo suplico.”

Tenoch looked at the eyes of a man who chose him as a friend. His left hand went to his gun and as if was pure instinct, he pointed it at Juárez’s head. “No. I’d never met this man in my life.”

The chair was moving intensely. Juárez was crying and yelling. “No! I know you. Please no! Tenoch, we can talk this over. Please don’t do it! Te lo supli-”

And a gunshot was heard throughout the house. 

_The thing about power is that once you tasted it, you cannot go back. That’s what happened to Cassian Andor and he embraced that hunger for power. Because everyone wants some, we all want some control in our lives. We want power. Cassian Andor had it all, he had the houses, the money and the people. He could changed the country’s path with out lifting a finger. And that kind of man is a dangerous one._

_The thing about power is that it makes you forget who you are. Right & Wrong are concepts which don’t exist in that world. And for once, I was okay with it.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me tell you this:  
> Cassian will be such good and goofy dad that you will cry when he will...something. So, enjoy cold and heartless Cassian for now.


	10. Whites Lines.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ticket to ride a white-line highway  
> Tell all your friends they can go my way.  
> Either up your nose or to your vein  
> With nothing to gain except killing your brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s no business like blow business.

_Two days after Christmas, Jyn Erso did her first ever shipment with the help of Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi. At the same time, Cassian Andor had a thought, a thought that would become an idea, an idea that would grow up to become a goal, a goal that would be Andor’s best and worst decision ever. He was a very ambitious man and that decision was as daring as him. Because there’s nothing like the blow business._

“So, kid, this is what we’re gonna do.” Han Solo said as the hot sun of a morning in Guadalajara cooked them. “We have some shit to take care of in Tijuana and because you know Saw Gerrera, you’re coming with me.”

Jyn had been undercover for two days now and she hadn’t seen the whole picture. She had met Han Solo at the Christmas party and found his self-arrogance and overconfidence amusing. But hell, he was a great smuggler. And a great friend to Cassian. 

“Ey.” Jyn nodded. “But what kind of business we shall take care of?”

Solo smiled. “You ever heard of the plaza king Jabba the Hutt? Or that’s what people call him.”

_Before being rescued by the Jesús Malverde of modern times, Han Solo did some shipments for Tijuana’s plaza boss nicknamed Jabba. But one time, Solo made the mistake of taking a route which was infested with cops. And the cops didn’t like Jabba at all, so, they seized the product as a big, old “fuck you” to the plaza boss. Jabba never forgave Solo for that. And was ready to pay anyone who could kill the son of a bitch._

Jyn smirked. “That’s great, Solo. You have the boss of Tijuana angry.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter too much. He maybe be the boss of Tijuana but Cassian.” He extended his arms side to side. “He’s the Boss Of Bosses and I’m his friend.”

”If you say so, Solo.”

He looked at her and shrugged carelessly. “You’re one to talk, anyways.”

Jyn frowned and her eyes showed curiosity. “What does that mean?”

He shook his head defensively. “Don’t take this the wrong way, kid but Cassian Andor is a man of few friends because men like him don’t get too many friends in life. He has many secrets and he’s very dangerous to keep around. We all know sooner or later this.” He made a gesture with his hands. “Organization will fall and he will be buried with it. And it’s up to you to decide if you wanna be buried with him.”

Jyn nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Han Solo laughed. “Come on, Erso, we gotta go for Chewie and then to the airport. Ruescott Melshi will love to meet you.”

* * *

Jyn was amazed by the enormous hangar which was just outside Guadalajara. Not too close to the city but close enough to make landings. Four planes were stationed there and a man with some sunglasses and a phone in hand appeared. He hang up and walked towards them. 

“Han Solo.” The man greeted them with open arms. 

“Ruescott Melshi.” Han took the hug. “Da gusto verte de nuevo.”

Melshi pulled apart and gave a respectful nod to Chewie. 

Chewie was a man of few words, mostly because he was mute. Han didn’t talk about it often but from what Jyn had read in between the lines, Chewie’s family had been killed and he was spared as a example for what happens when you mess with the plazas’s order—but he payed a price. 

Jyn liked Chewie—well, as far as a DEA agent can like a trafficker. He was nice to her even if he appeared intimidating and he was for the most part, he liked being the tough guy while Solo was the more suave kind of guy. 

Melshi then looked apart and saw Jyn. “And you must be Erso.” He extended his hand. “Boss called me yesterday to inform me about your presence today.”

”It’s nice to meet you, too.” Jyn answered with some sass. 

“Feisty one, isn’t she?” He laughed. 

“You have no idea, Ruescott.”

_Ruescott Melshi, The Lord of the Skies, was going to become the main exporter of cocaine around all Mexico. After Andor’s decision on bringing coke into the business, it would be Melshi who would open some new frontiers and help him make new paths for trafficking the Colombian cocaine. He would revolutionize the way cocaine was exported. He had a whole fleet of planes, planes built for specific purposes. But for now, he was just Ruescott Melshi, another pawn in Cassian’s game._

Han then looked around until he found what he was looking for. A airplane, a big one too. It was old and worn, looked like a piece of junk that wouldn’t hold but appearances lie. That was the Millennium Falcon, one of the fastest planes in the whole world. Han didn’t use it as much as he liked but when he did, he took advantage of it. 

“Look at this beauty, Erso.” He said. “This beauty has made more than a hundred delivers around the whole USA. It has hold more than any shitty plane Melshi has laying around, and it’s this beauty who will lead us to Tijuana.”

Melshi laughed. “Welcome to the business, Erso.”

Chewie made some sign which could be translated to ‘Te vas arrepentir’. You’re gonna regret it. But his cheerful grin and goofy eyes told it as a joke—or at least what was a joke at the time. 

* * *

Cassian Andor was where he usually was. Stuck in his office doing paperwork. He didn’t mind it at all, he liked to stay in his office doing paperwork. It was what difference him from the others. He was a businessman and not a trafficker even if the whole world disagreed. 

It had been around six months since he started the business. And those six months had been good with him, making him and his partners filthy rich. He alone own six properties, two mansions and much more. Kay’s way of putting the weed in potatoes sacks and sometimes bricks really did the job. In six months, the cartel had amassed more than Pedro Avilés could ever had amassed. 

The market had stabilized and the price was higher than ever. The no seed marijuana was a gift from the heavens. It was going perfectly. Cassian could easily keep doing what he was doing and by the next year’s end, he would be even more richer than before. But an innovator doesn’t work like that, an innovator finds new ways to innovate. Yes, Cassian could easily stick with the marijuana business and he was, for the time being but what about other frontiers?

Cocaine. 

The coke business was still very small and little compared to the marijuana business. Most of the market was in Colombia and not Mexico, Cassian had met one of those who jumped headfirst into that business. Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela. The man had come to Mexico for some business with the Hondureño trafficker Matta Ballesteros which Cassian had come to talk before Gilberto came in. 

Matta had introduced Cassian as “The Business Man” and Gilberto became interested in him. The Colombian was named “The Chess Player” for being always one step ahead of his competition. He asked Cassian which industry he belonged to and the Boss Of Bosses answered with the marijuana business. 

Matta laughed and said something along the lines of “This kid is making an organization. An OPEP for trafficking.” And “it’s a shame he’s not in your business.”

Gilberto wished good luck to the young man and that was it. 

To be honest, Cassian didn’t see what was the whole deal with coke. When he met such man it was beginnings of 1978 and cocaine wasn’t even that big. But now, as the new year was approaching, the Boss Of Bosses saw an opportunity which could be too good to let it pass. 

He wasn’t gonna make a drastic decision now and there. It hadn’t even a year since he made the organization, he would be dumb if he decided to make another player come into the chess game. He—he just wanted to be informed, to see his options and if time and God would want it, maybe in the near future Cassian would be more than a marijuana exporter. 

_1981\. The year Cassian Andor, the Business Man, began exporting cocaine into the States. He opened a whole fucking country so the Colombian cartels like the Cali Cartel and the Medellín cartel could smuggle their product now that the Caribbean routes were closed. He was a close friend to Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela and he was one of the most dangerous enemies of Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria._

_When the Medellín cartel fell in 1993, Cassian aided the Orejuela brothers to seize the merchandise and when the Orejuela brothers fell in 1995–well, he couldn’t do much, he had his own problems with the DEA and just a year later in 1996, the Infamous Guadalajara Cartel fell with Cassian Andor._

_But we’re eighteen years in the past, let’s not get ahead of ourselves._

His telephone rang and he stopped all his paperwork and took it. 

“¿Qué onda?” He said as he grabbed the cigarette pack from his desk and lit one up. 

The voice answered. “Smoking already? You’re going to die of cancer before achieving all your goals.” A touch of humour. 

He chuckled. “Ya mija, don’t be like your mother, be more like—”

”My father?”

Even if he couldn’t see her, he knew what was her reaction. “I was going to say uncle.”

“Which uncle? My blood related one or the one who took care of me since I was a kid?” A touch of bitterness. 

He exhaled. “Which one you prefer?”

She laughed. “My adoptive one, of course.”

”Está bueno, mijita.”

”Why you called me, Cassian? It’s not like you to call me or anyone in general. Not now that you became—”

”My business and my position have no power over you. We both know that, so let’s skip the word games.” He smiled. 

“Just learnt from the best.”

”I’m here because you are in the industry.”

The voice was quiet before coming back again. “And you’re in one, too.”

Cassian inhaled the rough smoke and leaned against his chair. He let the smoke exit his mouth and said. “Ey. But we both know which is the one that interests me.”

”Didn’t you meet with Gilberto? He’s a good lead.” She answered and from the background noice, she was in her house in Tijuana. 

“No es lo mismo, mija.” Cassian contradicted. “I don’t want to jump in the industry. I just want some...pointers, a layout of my options here.”

”And what pointers could the great Business Man possibly need?”

Cassian sighed but a smile crept behind his sigh. “Some.”

The line went quiet again. 

“I heard Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi are coming here.”

Cassian shook the ashes from the cigarette. “Ey.”

”Let me guess, Jabba the Hutt?”

”Ey. I can careless about what Han Solo’s business is with the Hutt but he’s causing trouble again. Trouble that sadly is my problem.”

She laughed. “I believe you called for more than one reason?”

He inhaled the smoke. For most people, the smoke and the taste of a cigarette was an awful thing but for some people like Cassian Andor, it was such a nice and warm feeling. For the Boss Of Bosses, a cigarette tasted like agua de Jamaica and it smelled like a brand-new car. He liked to smoke. 

He exhaled and watched the cloud mix with the air of the office. “I need you to help them, mijita.”

”Why?” She mused. 

“You’re the one who knows Jabba the best. And you’re the best in both business. Tijuana is yours and well, for me?”

”Does your people know about this? The whole pointers thing?”

”No. This is more of a—”. He stopped and thought of a word. “Personal project.”

She cleared her throat. “And what should I gain of this personal project of yours, Jeron?”

Only on person in the world called Cassian by his middle name and got away with it. She was that person. They go way back and that’s the only reason why he didn’t say nothing—that and she being the best at what she did. 

He sighed again but humor was in it. “Ay, mijita ¿Porqué me la pones tan difícil?”

”Just protecting my personal interests.”

He chuckled. “Like you were taught.” He inhaled again and then he exhaled. “Fair enough, what to do want?”

She answered at the same time he ended the phrase. “I want in, Cassian. I want to be part of your organization. You see how good I am.”

He sighed for the fourth time. He didn’t answer for a couple of seconds. Musing about what would that mean for the organization, he knew she wanted in since forever. She had potential but she was too much like him, she knew how to play with people and she knew how to play with him. She was one of his weaknesses. But to make it all happen, he needed her. 

“Pues gánatelo, mijita. Go and help Solo and Melshi and you’re in.”

”And what about the other?”

Cassian stopped for a second. “What about her?”

”Is there something between you two?” She teased. “Has the great Cassian Andor found someone?”

He scoffed. “You make it sound like I’m 39. I’m 26 and you’re 20. We’re only six years apart.”

”You didn’t answer question.”

”Help them and don’t mention anything to anyone about this, understood?”

She laughed. 

“Como usted mande, comandante.”

”I care about you, mija. Be careful.”

”I know, Uncle.”

He laughed. “And remember. I’m just gathering intel.”

”Pues, por esa información. A donde sea que nos lleve.”

And she hang up. 

* * *

The flight to Tijuana was more or less good. No one was hurt and Han Solo didn’t crash the plane into the goddamn corn field like Melshi thought. It had their bad stuff but overrall, it a was a good flight.

Jyn was helping Solo with the unloading merchandise when someone appeared in the hangar. She wore a red dress, her hair was black as coal and her eyes were of a predator waiting for its prey.

She looked around and then smiled. “Han Solo?”

Han immediately let down the boxes he was unloading and turned to see the woman. He was weary and sweaty but his hands were at his pants, ready for whatever could happen. “Depends on who’s asking, sister. A friend or a foe?”

The woman laughed. She looked at  Jyn for a second before she turned her attention back to Solo. “A friend.”

“And who would you be?”

”La Reina del Pacifico.” She answered. “Isabella Bautista. Daughter of Alejandro Bautista, the king of the poppies and niece of Cassian Andor, the Boss Of Bosses.”

_Isabella Bautista was in a way related to Cassian Andor. One of Cassian’s uncles, Beto, had a son, a son which was Cassian’s cousin, well, that cousin was Alejandro Bautista who was ten years older than Cassian. But nonetheless, Isabella was Alejandro’s daughter making her Cassian’s niece. And he protected his family a bit too much. And he was much better uncle than Alejandro’s brother who never even was there for his family._

Han’s smirk was wiped right off. “Cassian’s niece?”

She smiled. “My uncle informed me of your arrival and asked me to help you get to Jabba the Hutt, knowing I’m the best at what I do.”

Jyn decided to speak up. “And what is exactly what you do?”

”She is the Queen of the Pacific. Her father is the King of Poppies and her uncle is the Boss Of Bosses. Her job is to be the bridge that unites them all. She helped Cassian meet some of the big kingpins for his organization.” Ruescott Melshi answered as he stepped out of the plane. 

“Ey. And I’m glad to help friends of a man who cared for me in a way some never did.”

”You know what you’re getting into, right?” Solo clarified. “I see you’re very capable of defending yourself but I still want to make sure, kid.”

She nodded. “Jabba the Hutt can be easily bought with a few gifts and words. You just gotta know where to strike.”

Han laughed. “I like you, kid. You remind me of me.”

Melshi cringed. “Gosh no. She’s more beautiful than you.”

”Easy, Ruescott. That’s Andor’s niece. If he already ordered us to be very careful with Jyn Erso, imagine what he’ll do to us when his niece on the game?”

Melshi shrugged. “Let’s jut unload the merchandise and then we’ll talk.”

Jyn furrowed her eyebrows but said nothing. Cassian had ordered them to protect her? Why? He didn’t seem like the guy who would do that just because he felt like it or because it was a welcome gift. She was very capable of taking care of herself and she didn’t need anyone to protect her. Cassian didn’t like a man who would protect all of his pawns. 

Why her?

Isabella must’ve seen her confusion because she approached her. “My uncle can be very confusing at times. He usually has his head in the clouds and his feet in the ground. He sees things we don’t see. And he might see something in you that you might not see yet in yourself. But don’t worry, my uncle’s decisions are always for the best of his family.”

Jyn smiled back. “Your uncle can be very secretive sometimes.”

Isabella shrugged. “That’s Cassian Andor for you. He’s always doing something, preparing and strikes when the moment is right. Every decision he makes, it’s a life changing decision.”

Back in Guadalajara, in the hotel Americas, in an office, Cassian Andor continued working. He kept signing papers and making others. But he stopped frequently to think. 

White lines. 

Could that be the future of the Guadalajara cartel? Or could it be its end?

One thing he was certain. 

There’s no business like the blow business. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s Narcos without our good, old cocaine business?  
> Weed is fun and all but coke, ah, coke that’s another thing completely.


	11. Addiction.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We’re all addicted to something. Even you.
> 
> Cassian Andor had many addictions. But none like love and nicotine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I smoke. (don’t judge me, even Diego Luna and half of the Narcos cast smoke).  
> So, if the smoking parts are a bit too descriptive, well, you know why.

_Addiction. We’re all addicted to something. Could be something illegal like meth, cocaine or marijuana. Could be something legal like cigarettes or alcohol. We can be addicted to a person. In fact, you can be addicted to your phone. The Narcos had one rule, never try your own merchandise because addiction is a powerful thing. Of course, the fuckers forgot that power, ambition, greed and revenge are some powerful addictions, too._

There were only two things in Cassian Andor’s life that he needed—that he was dependent of: Jyn Erso and cigarettes. But back in 1978, he was only addicted to one of them. And he didn’t care, he didn’t regret it. 

When had he started smoking? Good question that would be answered by a:

”Fifteen years old, viejo. Almost everyone starts at that age.”

He always was curious about the cigarette. He lived in a town where the majority of the population was a smoker. His parents, though, were heavily against that. His father came from Spanish grandparents who punished severely the kids who smoked, Cassian’s father learnt his lesson by watching the others. 

Cassian, however, always wanted to try one. He remembered when he was six or seven and grabbed a stick or a piece of wood and did like he smoked. His parents thought that was just normal, childish behaviour that came with living in a smokers town. They thought he would outgrow the curiosity. But Cassian didn’t outgrew it, in fact, he became even more curious. 

The first time he tried a cigarette was at the age of fifteen when his best friend Kay Tuesso offered him one. Cassian knew the consequences if his parents ever found out and he knew that sometimes, curiosity killed the cat, yet he took the offer. It was a hot, sunny school day—well, school day for him, Kay left it back in kindergarten. 

When he took the first puff, he knew he was going to be addicted to it. His father had said there were two types of people in the world, the ones that found the smell and taste of a cigarette awful and would never try it again and the others who found the smell and taste something of extraordinary and would do it again if the opportunity was given. 

Sadly, Cassian Andor was part of the second group. 

He had heard the whole ideals of his parents at smoking, how gross and awful it was. But when he tried, he didn’t find anything of it. He found it calming, relaxing, the smell was something bitter that reminded him of his home and the taste was like drinking water. He liked it. 

He liked to smoke. To feel the tingle of the rough tobacco in his throat. 

That’s how his addiction to nicotine began. He smoked three times a day. When going to school, at lunch and after school. He ate gum, brushed his teeth, put on perfume and washed his hands to mask the cigarette smoke from his parents. Although never from his little brother, he smoked with him and even offered him a cigarette but he turned it down each time. 

Cassian Andor liked to have control of things around him ever since he was little, he hated when Life played him and twisted him. He liked to control when he was going to sleep, how much sleep he was going to get and how many panic attack he would have to endure before finally getting some rest. The things he didn’t control enraged him—all except smoking. He liked when that was out is his control. 

But love? Love was another thing he couldn’t control and he did not like it. Love was always around him, he saw how much his parents loved each other—or at least, the meaning of many fights, tears and sleepless nights was love. His mother loved him and his brother too much. So much that when he left his family to join the Narcos family, her heart couldn’t resist and gave out. In another words, Cassian was the reason his father became a widower. 

He did not lie to Jyn Erso when he said he had been married. He was seventeen years old, and he was head over heels for that woman. She had been with him since he was a baby, she had known all of his secrets, his fears, she had known his life. He did not lie to Jyn Erso when he said it didn’t even last the year but not because of the reasons she might’ve thought. To be honest, Cassian didn’t like to talk about that subject and he thought it was easier to say he never been in love than to admit he had been, once. 

How did Jyn Erso manage to penetrate that defence? Cassian Andor would never know. 

* * *

**Christmas Eve Party, 1978**

He was drunk enough.

Or at least, he hoped he was drunk enough.

But he wasn’t drunk enough to go and spill all of his secrets to a complete stranger. He was just drunk enough to withstand the ghosts of his past. Cassian had been trained to follow protocol, to follow orders and to never question those orders. Maybe that’s why he was such good cop—and maybe that’s why he wasn’t such a good person. 

Here he laid, in a chair in his office, his hair was all messy and undone, his suit was somewhere around, his shirt was a mess and some buttons thrown in the floor, his belt was undone and his pants were still on him except the zipper was down. He laid in his chair, a smug smile on his face, drunk enough to enjoy what he had done to that woman ten minutes before. 

Then someone knocked on the door. Tony, Cassian’s bodyguard was heard saying something like “El Patrón is going to need a few minutes to...catch his breath.” In those few minutes, the only thing Cassian achieved was pulling up the zipper of his pants. He still laid on his chair with his body a mess. He hoped to see Kay, maybe Baze or Chirrut and if we’re going far then he expect to see his brother Tenoch but she walked in. The freaking Stardust of his empire. Jyn Erso. 

“I see you been busy.” She said eyeing him with a mischievous smirk. 

If he had been sober enough he would’ve told her something like “What are you doing here?” Or “None of your business.” But he wasn’t sober enough for that. He did not want to be. He wanted to stay in the clouds, to forget he was a drug kingpin, to forget all his pain and grief. To just remember the addictions. 

“Ey ¿Y tú?” He answered. “What brings you to my office?”

She walked around the room, studying it like he studied her, her face was completely calm when she saw the bottles thrown in the floor, the cigarettes butts dispersed in his desk, or the blanked with some pillows in the sofa. But she did stop when her eyes met with the two bottles of pills. 

Doxepin. Used for severe depression, anxiety and insomnia. There were twelve pills in that bottle and it wasn’t touched. Why sleep? He always slept at 11/12/1 am to wake shivering and nauseous at 6 am. He was like that since he was a kid, it became a habit. And there was a time when he wanted to sleep the latest and wake up the earliest. He thought he did not deserve sleep. Nothing had changed. 

Lorazepam. Used for anxiety. It was a very potent drug which Cassian took only two times a day like the doctor prescribed. It had its secondary effects like giving him more anxiety and tiredness. He didn’t need it as much, he had learnt how to control his emotions and he had learnt—the hard way—not to show any kind of fear or sadness. He took it because he had to. But his actual drug was his cigarette. 

“Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex.” Jyn said out loud. “Yep, you have the drug kingpin down to an art.”

He laughed as he stretched in the chair. “You’re just taking advantage of my drunk state.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. It’s the first time I see you more or less relaxed.” 

“Pass me the pack, please?” He referred to the cigarette pack that was already halfway done in his desk. 

She took it and threw it to him, he caught it. Even drunk, Cassian Andor had some of his defences ready. He was still paranoid and in cases, aggressive. He opened it and took one and lit it up. The taste and smell were the only thing he had close to home. 

“Do you smoke, Erso?” 

She shook her head. “No, I don’t. Never have.”

”Then what are you addicted to?” He exhaled. “I mean, I’m addicted to cigarettes, power, control, money. Shall I go on?”

For a drunken man, Andor asked some personal questions. 

_Cassian Andor never believe in destiny. That somewhere, someone made all your decisions and choices for you. That the only thing for you to do is obey them. Like a soldier who followed orders without questioning which were right and which were wrong. No, Andor had spent a good part of his life doing that, he wasn’t going to do it again._

“I guess I’m not addicted to anything in special.” Jyn answered. 

“Eso es pura chingadera.” He contradicted. “Everyone has an addictions. Everyone has problems and we all have some unhealthy coping skills to deal with those problems.”

She sighed and sat down next to Cassian. He was still a mess. A hot mess. But he straightened a bit seeing the seriousness in her eyes. 

“I am addicted to proving myself, does that make sense? I fled from places various times. I am not used to people sticking with me when things goes bad. I’m not used to people sticking around when things go right.”

He got closer to her. Let it be known that Cassian Andor wouldn’t done that if he had been sober but he wasn’t, he was drunk. Drunk enough that is. He looked at her green eyes, it reminded him of the thousands of trees around Sinaloa. Of home. It reminded him of home. She smelled like wood, ashes and stardust.

Jyn was getting lost in his dark eyes. She saw pain, grief and self-destruction in them. It reminded her of the countless nights she spent alone with the darkness surrounding her. He smelled like cigarettes, alcohol, mint, cologne and blood. A normal person would be weirded out by it but they didn't seem to mind. 

~~Quizá no fue coincidencia encontrarme contigo  
Tal vez esto lo hizo el destino.~~

He sighed and looked down. His hands were shaking, it wasn’t odd. He was drunk and his self-control was completely gone. 

“She was with me since I was little kid. You can ask Tenoch. She was the same age me and we were best friends. Her father was my father’s boss. We spent time together, we played together, and little by little, the innocence was getting lost. I began smoking and smuggling contraband and drugs.” He laughed bitterly. “The son of a cop trafficking, who knew?”

His hands were still shaking and his leg was shaking as well. He knew that the story would destroy him. But maybe, maybe it would help. 

“We fell in love—or at least what we thought was love. We were sixteen and we were young. Not that I’m not young right now.” He sighed and laughed. “I married her when I was seventeen. She never smuggled contraband with me, I was making sure she was safe. And I was happy.”

Jyn saw how nervous the Business Man was getting. She touched his hand and at first, he looked surprised but he took her hand. As a grounding device. 

~~No perderé la esperanza de hablar contigo  
No me importa qué dice el destino.~~

”Three months after getting married she told me she was pregnant. I was the happiest man alive that day. I would become a father. And my empire would go to someone. I would share it with her and I would do it for my future child.” He then looked down. “I was a dumb fool for not stopping my addiction to power. I should’ve stop trafficking and just settled down. But I didn’t—I didn’t and she paid the price.”

He didn’t realize he was holding Jyn’s hand with passion.

“The Naranjo brothers came to Culiacán because Pedro Avilés had stolen from them. And they found out about a kid who worked for him—me. And they found out that kid had a wife with a child. And because I was connected to Pedro, they sent someone to kill her.” He shook his head. “She was at the market when it happened. Smart of the brothers. Two gunshots. One in the head and the other in her stomach.”

Addiction can kill.

“I dropped out of the academy. Because there was three fucking cops when that happened but those cops were corrupt. Why should I become a cop? If in the end I would end up working for them? I decided to leave the academy and I started to drown in work, in dreams. To—to make an empire where my family couldn’t be touched.”

_If destiny truly exist then it’s sadder to see how Cassian Andor’s life turned out. If he truly did not have a choice, if he was truly meant to just suffer all his life, then destiny is a cruel thing. I’m not saying Andor was an angel of God—but if that life was already given to him, then what choice—what chance did he have?_

Jyn looked at the man. She should feel sad for him. She didn’t. She had knew that was all just a play for her to trust him. There probably wasn’t even a woman in Cassian’s life. She had to ignore the sincerity behind the eyes of a killer. Because that was what Cassian was—a drug kingpin who was as ruthless as all the others. 

He cleared his throat and the moment was over. “Anyways, I’m very drunk right now. So, please don’t tell anyone about this or I will have to kill you.” He joked. 

She laughed with him. “Trust goes both ways.”

He was close to her. With his trembling hand, he touched her cheek. A drunk gesture but a gesture nonetheless. “Te ves tan hermosa como el día que te perdí.”

You look as beautiful as the day I lost you. 

“What rank where you going to achieve if you became a cop?” Jyn asked hoping to distract the Business Man. 

He blinked a few times and let out a drunken sigh. “Captain.”

Jyn laughed. “Captain Cassian Andor. It had a nice thing to it, don’t you think?”

He smiled. “Maybe in another life I would’ve been a Captain. Maybe in another life I would’ve been an actor and someone else would’ve done this.” He pointed to his office. “And I would’ve just acted it. And maybe in another life, I would’ve gotten in a road trip with my best friend. Who knows?”

”You’re way too drunk.” She teased. 

~~No importa qué diga el destino, quédate conmigo.~~

He leaned to kiss her. Maybe he was drunk enough to do that. His mind was a foggy mess and he would probably forget all of it in the morning. Then he stopped. No. Jyn Erso wasn’t like the other girls, she was not a stripper who Cassian would never remember in his life. She was worth more than that.

Drunk or not, Jyn Erso deserved more than him. She was just there because she wanted revenge. Just like Cassian and everyone in the business. She wasn’t there to fall in love with him and he wasn’t there to fall in love with her. 

Suddenly, the bells began to ring and all hotel began erupting in cheers and celebrations. Cassian looked at his Rolex and saw the time. 12:00 am. 25th December. It was Christmas. 

“Merry Christmas, Jyn Erso.” He said. 

She returned the smile. “Merry Christmas to you, too, Captain Cassian Andor.” She teased. 

“And welcome home.”

They froze and Cassian regretted the words that came from his mouth. Jyn stood up and smiled at him. He had told her “Welcome home” and she knew—even if it was wrong—she knew she was. 

He stayed in the chair. Too drunk to go after her or say I’m sorry. 

“I shall get going, my work begins tomorrow.” 

“Cuídate, Jyn.” He said. 

She nodded and Tony opened the door for her. She was out of his sight. He finally got the strength to get up just to go for the Mezcal and drink it straight from the bottle. He looked at Tony with a naughty smirk. 

“Send another one, I want my gifts early.”

”Of course, Patrón.” Tony nodded. 

“And then go to your home, I can take care of myself, Tony.”

”¿Estás seguro, Patrón?”

Cassian smiled. 

Of all his addictions, he had a feeling Jyn was the most deathly. 

* * *

When morning came and the hungover Cassian woke up without his pants and shirt, the first thing he did was make a call. He grabbed the phone and dialed a number. 

“¿Bueno?” Baze’s voice resounded. 

“I want to make a thing very clear.” Cassian didn’t even care about saying hello. “No one touches Jyn Erso, no one puts in danger Jyn Erso and no one, no one has the right to call her anything than Erso or Jyn. And if I find someone looking at her with those predators eyes, I will personally kill them, understood?”

”Cassian, what the hel-”

”Understood?!” He shouted. 

“Yes.”

And he hang up. 

He groaned as his hangover came and went. He grabbed one of the bottle of pills and drowned three of them in one sip. He then just sat in his chair, thinking about what the fuck he said in to her. He remembered the sex but it wasn’t with her, no it was with nameless woman. 

He wasn’t even sure she could be forgotten. 

He went back to sleep with that thought. 

_Addictions are a very powerful thing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People. Just like Diego Luna and um, Cassian Andor, I started smoking at the age of 15 years old. Do I regret it? No necessarily but if I was given the chance to re do it again, I would not do it.  
> But damn, I still enjoy what I cannot control.


	12. Solo Dios Sabe.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe if Tenoch Andor had acted sooner, none of this would’ve happened. 
> 
> Maybe if Galen Erso took more time to learn how to lie properly, he wouldn’t had died. 
> 
> Maybe if Bodhi Rook had deserted the drug kingpins sooner, he wouldn’t have to pay such price. 
> 
> And maybe if Cassian Andor hadn’t fallen in love with Jyn Erso, he would still be alive today. 
> 
> Only God Knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes people, the major character death tag is sadly for Cassian. I started this story thinking there was a chance for him to live but by the end of chapter 1. I knew he wasn’t. 
> 
> In other news, I got called a racist in a comment in chapter 11. ;)

_Cassian Jeron Andor was many things in his short life, he was a husband, a father, a brother, a friend but he was also a trafficker, a killer, an enemy, a dead man. We all knew that we needed to stop Cassian before it was too late, but the thing is, how do you stop someone that cannot be stopped? Operation Rogue One was made to kill Cassian Andor in 1986. Did they succeed? Yes. But ten years later._

_Cassian Andor had two sayings. “The system doesn’t like heroes.” And my favourite. “Good men live to die another day.”_

_Yet, I’m here and he’s not. How’s that working for you, big brother?_

Cassian Andor wasn’t afraid of death. He had no one to fight for, to be alive for. If he was going to die, then he was going to die. That was the sad truth. He wasn’t afraid that he would go to Hell or he would go to Heaven, maybe it made him feel uneasy sometimes but he always got over it. However, he did spend many days thinking how he would go down. Would he die like a king? Or like a dog?

When you’re a drug kingpin, you’re not going to end up in prison, you’re going to end up with a bullet through your heart. Cassian couldn’t go back now, he couldn’t just let the Empire fall and hope he can become an owner of some store in Guadalajara. He was the Boss Of Bosses, he made the seedless marijuana. He was to die, and he knew that when he die, an era, an empire and a generation would be declared over. 

As he did his paperwork, he didn’t realize that his left hand was going to the golden cross he had. Cassian was religious, who isn’t in that line of work? He was raised Catholic and he even attended a Catholic school until third grade. Once long ago, he was the one with the most faith in God. He knew every verse of the bible because he read it for fun and he had total and utter faith in God. Now? His faith had faltered a bit, he no longer read the bible for fun or had total faith. 

He believed because he felt like his life would be meaningless without someone bigger than him watching. He liked to think that maybe God cared about him. His office had one cross, it belonged to his grandfather. It seemed old and worn but Cassian believed it still had some of his power. He wore a silver chain with a golden cross that belonged to his mother and a bracelet made wood with photos of some saints in his left hand. 

He watched how people marched shoeless to some church in Monterrey, he saw how many people just put all of their faith in the Saints and God. Old people praying to God and never even doubted His power. Those festivals in honor to those Saints. He envied them, he wanted to be like them. To have total faith in one Being. To be able to say “I have total faith in God”. But he didn’t. He believed but he doubted, he was a cynical man. 

Cassian didn’t go to church and when he did, he did not know what to do. He rarely prayed—sometimes he believed it wasn’t going to do anything. But when asked about his faith, if asked if he believed in God, he would not hesitate and tell you he did. Someone helps you get your goals and he helps you with your hard times. 

Cassian chuckled. His mother had told him back when he was twelve that if he prayed to God for Him to help with his panic attacks, He would help him. Cassian didn’t want to know, he wanted his faith to be intact, but it worked. Every night he said thanks to God for all he gave him and try to look from the positive side and little by little, his panic attacks didn’t wake him in the middle of the night. 

Yes, Cassian Andor might’ve not been the strongest believer in the Catholic Church. But he did believe in the Saints and in God. And if someone would tell him that God is dead and he should just accept that, Cassian would tell the person that he was going to die and that he should just accept that. 

He believed in God but he wondered if God believed in him. 

* * *

Tenoch Andor was down in the bar drinking because there was nothing to do. Jyn Erso was in Tijuana with Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi. He had talked over the phone with Bodhi Rook and there wasn’t much to do than to try and keep his brother distracted over the real DEA agent. 

He saw his brother walked towards the bar with a tired look in his face. Tenoch snorted. What else was new? His brother had the unhealthy habit of overwork himself until he collapsed dead on the floor. Well, he couldn’t say anything. He was like that as well. 

Cassian had a distracted look and Tenoch smiled at it. 

“¿Qué pasó, compa?” He invited him to sit next to him. 

His brother took the invitation and sat next to him. “Thinking.”

”About what?”

”Death.”

Tenoch looked at his brother. He then proceeded to drink from the bottle of beer and sighed. “What about death?”

Cassian shrugged. “Just thinking how I’m going to die.”

Tenoch stopped drinking and lowered the bottle. He still believed in his brother, he still believed that he could be spared of death. He cleared his throat hoping the lump would go away. “And—and how do you think you’re going to die?”

”The truth or the lie?”

”Tell me the sweet lie first.”

Cassian smiled. “I’m going to die when I’m 90 in a warm room with my Empire intact.”

Tenoch laughed. It was better than to cry. “Chinga. That’s a stretch even for me.”

”Well, the bitter truth is that I’m going to die in less than ten years. Probably by the DEA or my enemies.” He then looked at his brother. “How’s the things with the DEA?”

Drank again to clear the lump in his throat. “Nothing much, he’s not doing a lot right now. Just doing what they always do, try to make the government cooperate and failing to do so.”

Cassian nodded. 

Tenoch sighed. “You talked with Isabella, didn’t you?”

”What makes you think that?”

”Jyn Erso and Tijuana.” He simply said. 

“Yes, I did. In some way, she’s your niece as well.”

Tenoch shook his head. “Never met her. Maybe once or twice but you know I wasn’t in this business before.”

Cassian looked away. His hands playing around together. He didn’t order anything to drink nor to eat. He just wanted a conversation with his little brother. 

“What do you think of Jyn Erso, brother?” Tenoch interrupted his thoughts. 

“What?”

”No mames, compa. I see the way you look at her, I see the way she looks at you. If she was another person, you would’ve killed her for knowing so much about you. So, hermano, what’s your opinion on Jyn Erso?”

Cassian stayed quiet for a minute. He couldn’t say he was in love with her, he didn’t even know her favourite color or anything like that. He did tell her a personal story because he was drunk. He was a Don Quixote, he had girls everywhere he stepped. Yeah, Jyn wasn’t one of those girls but it wasn’t like she was special. 

“Well? I mean, you literally order the whole organization to leave her alone.” Tenoch drank. “Woke up one day and just decided to tell everyone that she was untouchable?”

Cassian nodded. “I told her about you-know-who. I was drunk and it after we ended the business with Lt. Juárez.”

”Ah.” Tenoch didn’t want to think about Juárez. He had to break the news to the family and it was awful. “Well, that explains it.”

Then Cassian said something out of the blue. “Do you believe in God, brother?”

Tenoch choked on his drink. He took a napkin to wipe the liquor that spilled all over his shirt. He then looked at his brother. “What?”

”You believe that God is proud of us?”

Tenoch was about to say something like “Yeah, I bet God is very proud of a drug kingpin who literally kills everyone he doesn’t like and his little brother who kills everyone he needs to kill.” But he stopped. Just like Cassian, he was raised Catholic. That’s one of the reasons he became a cop, an honest cop, to help people like Jesus did. But his hands were as stained as Cassian’s. 

If there was a God, he wouldn’t be proud of who they were. But he decided to with the sweet lie. “Yeah. I guess so. I mean, there’s worst people in the world than us.”

Cassian sighed. “Do you think we’ll go to Hell when we’ll die?”

”Jesus, Cassian, what kind of shit you smoked this morning?!”

”Answer the question, cabrón.”

Tenoch looked at his brother. He couldn’t bring himself to lie again. Cassian knew the answer and Tenoch knew the answer. Why not say it already? What was so hard of saying the truth that made the sweet lie a better reality? In a kinder universe, they would go to Heaven if they died. But this wasn’t a kind universe, this was Mexico, 1978. 

“Yes. We’ll go to Hell when we’ll die, Cassian.”

”I will but you won’t, Beto.”

And Tenoch choked on his drink, again. He hadn’t been called ‘Beto’ in years, the two people that could nickname him like that was his mother and Cassian. It was because Tenoch’s name was going to be Roberto but his father had a change of heart right when he was born and decided to name him Tenoch, in honor to Tenochtitlán the Aztec Empire which Mexico was built. 

This conversation was going pretty much nowhere. Only painful memories of a time which everything seemed so simple, a time when his older brother was dreaming on becoming a cop not a drug kingpin. But the childhoods were over. He was twenty-five and his brother twenty-six. The innocence was gone and the world had burn. 

He wondered if God believed in him or maybe if he even cared. 

“¿Qué quieres, Cassian?” He said once finished cleaning the mess his drink had caused. “Why did you come here? It’s noon!”

”I always come here.”

Tenoch eyed him. “With a grey suit and your hair combed perfectly and not a hair out of line in your beard—is that a Rolex?”

”I make 2.5 million dollars a week, Tenoch. I can afford a lot of things now.”

Tenoch scoffed. “And you can’t afford to pay me?”

Cassian laughed. “Don’t worry, Beto. We’ll both see la feria very soon.”

”Sure...” Tenoch trailed off with a goofy smile on his face. 

“Don’t worry, little brother, I’ll will take care of you. Trust goes both ways and I trust you with my life.”

That smile was sincere, the words that came out Cassian’s mouth were sincere and his eyes were truthful. That’s what pained Tenoch the most, seeing how his older brother was literally putting all of his trust, all of everything to him and he was the one betraying him, he was the one selling his secrets. Tenoch mentally shook his head, he had to remind himself that his brother was the bad guy, the monster. That he was no longer Cassian “Cursi” Andor. He was the Boss Of Bosses, the biggest kingpin of all times. 

Sadly, Tenoch didn’t bring himself to accept that truth until 1982 and by then, it was too late. 

_Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel fell in 1993, the Orejuela brothers and the Cali Cartel fell in 1995. By that time, there was only one superpower left to dethrone. And that was Cassian Andor, he and his empire fell 31th, December of 1996. The whole world celebrated, the war was “won”. The Guadalajara Cartel has fallen and no other empire would grow as big as that._

_A lot of people helped in Cassian’s capture, and I was one of those people. I don’t regret what I did, even if it sound as bad as it is. But there’s nights where I stay awake and think, maybe if I had accepted the bitter truth, my brother would still be alive today? Doesn’t matter, what’s done is done. And not even history can change that._

* * *

Tenoch took the elevator. He was going to his office, his walkie-talkie on hand and mumbling some stuff in Spanish. The elevator stopped for someone who Tenoch was too distracted to see who it was. That, of course, before the person pressed the emergency button and stopped the elevator. That’s when he looked up and saw Leia Organa dressed like a tourist. 

“¿Qué chingados-”

”Sush!” She said. “It’s time you and I had a proper conversation.”

”Are you crazy?! What the hell are you doing here?”

”I’m thinking the same of you.”

Tenoch glared at her. “If you forgot, Princess.” That word was emphasized with a mock tone. “I don’t work for you, I am not a freaking gringo dog that you order something. I didn’t need to ask your permission for this.”

She returned the glare to him. “True. But you as Hell needed to at least ask me when you put one of my agents in danger!”

Tenoch scoffed. “Jyn Erso? Have you met the woman?! I’m sure she can handle herself just fine, Princesa. And I did not put her in danger.”

”Oh, yeah. I forgot. That was your brother.”

”Be careful, Organa.”

Leia crossed her arms. “Is that a threat, Sergeant Andor?”

He gritted his teeth. “Believe me, Cassian is the pacific of us. I believe that everyone needs a good beating before learning their lesson and I’m not afraid of hitting a gir.”

That’s when Leia slapped him. “Good, because I’m not afraid of hitting a kid.”

Tenoch stood there for a few seconds, registering what had happened. Then he came back from his shook state and pinned her to the corner of the elevator. “Váyase a la chingada, Princesa. Leave now.”

Leia stomped his right foot making Tenoch pull away in pain. 

“Is that so, Sergeant?”

Tenoch growled in frustration. “Fuck yourself, Organa! Go. Fuck. Yourself. I’m just doing my job here! I’m the Head of Security and thanks to me, Jyn Erso can walk safely around here!”

Leia smiled satisfied. “Now, listen here, Sergeant Andor, I’m not saying you’re going to work with me, I read enough of your reports to see that you hate the “gringos” in this situation but at least, we’re gonna cooperate.”

Tenoch sighed. “I talked to Bodhi Rook this morning.” He touched his cheek. “Chinga, pegas fuerte, cabrona.”

”Now, I want to know something, something very important.” Leia’s smile faded. “Do you care about your brother?”

”Is this a test? If I say yes it means that I might help him escape the authorities and if I say no then it means you can kill him?”

Leia shook her head. “You’re thinking of this too much. I just asked you a question.”

Tenoch kicked a wall and groaned in frustration. “I care about him. Yes! He’s my brother and I would like that he stays his miserable life in jail than to be buried at the age of forty-four!”

”Look, Sergeant Andor, I see you’re a good man with a terrible character but nonetheless, you’re a good man.” Leia said. “But we will just do our jobs here, and if it comes to the point that we need to kill your brother to have peace, then so be it.”

Tenoch rolled his eyes. “The purpose of war is peace, Princesa. But there’s a time to fight and there’s a time to be clever. My brother knows that better than anyone. So, if you try to kill him, only God will know what kind of Hell will rain upon you.”

Leia frowned. “So, in which side are you?”

He laughed. “In this business there’s no side. There’s no right and wrong. That is all just concepts—we’re not fighting a war in black and white, Organa. This is a grey area. And their players are grey as well. I’m in the side that is best for my country. Mexico. Not the United States of A Small Part Of All America—Not Actually All America.”

”And Jyn Erso? How’s she doing here?”

”Good. Very good, in fact. It’s quite scary. Cassian seems fond of her, he made it very clear that she’s off-limits. Why?”

Leia sighed. “Just like you said, Sargento—”

”Call me Tenoch or Rudo.”

”As you wish, Rudo. There’s a time to fight and a time to be clever. And this is a time to be clever. Do you think there’s a possibility that your brother likes her? Sexually.”

That’s when Tenoch realized what Leia a Organa had in mind. He looked at her and smiled—not a nice smile. It had no humour in it and was very cynical. “That’s low, Organa.”

”We’re fighting a war in grey. We should play in grey.” She defended herself. “You should know—do I have to remind you of Lt. Juárez.”

Tenoch clenched his jaw. “I don’t know, alright? He does seem very fond of her and treats her special. But I don’t know if he likes her that way—he doesn’t like anyone since 1969.”

”Then find out, Rudo. Find out if he likes her.”

He scoffed again. “I’m not your pinche perro, Organa. Why should I take orders from you?”

”You don’t. But I hope you take this advice. It will help your people.”

Tenoch frowned. “Hope?”

Leia nodded. “Yes, Rebellions are built on hope.”

”Wow. So inspirational.” He mocked. 

Another slap. 

“¡Puta madre! Can you stop that?!” He howled in pain. “¡Chinga tu madre, Organa! Stop fucking hitting me or I will seriously lose my patience with you!”

”So, can you find out or not?”

He sighed. “Yes. I can. It will take a lot of drinking and a few weeks but I can.”

Leia smiled. “Good.”

”You do realize what can happen if they find out we’re using them in a bigger board, right? You do realize this plan of yours can backfire?”

”Yes, I do.”

”Then how do you know it will work?” He asked confused. 

Leia shrugged. “I don’t. Only God knows.”

Tenoch rolled his eyes. “Solo Dios Sabe. Que conmovedor, Organa.” He mumbled. 

And yes, another slap but with a kick on the balls. 

Pretty much everyone in the hotel could hear Tenoch screaming. 

“Fuck you, Organa! Fuck you and your fucking knees and hands! ¡Ay, puta madre esto si que duele! ¡Ya valió todo, chinga! What did I do to deserve this, pinche gringa?!”

Which Leia answered. 

“That’s for your bad temper.”

Poor Tenoch was left kneeled in pain cursing in all ways possible while Leia smiled satisfied of herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to stick with the Pablo Escobar ending rather than the Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo. And if you don’t know what happened to them. Let me put it this way. 
> 
> Escobar was shot to dead  
> Gallardo was sentenced to forty years in prison.  
> —————————————————————  
> Guess what happened in 1986 that will make the Operation Rogue One?  
> Clue:It’s someone’s birth day.


	13. Brilliant Disguise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So when you look at me  
> You better look hard and look twice  
> Is that me, baby  
> Or just a brilliant disguise?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments make me very happy. You guys do as if I was a real writer and I actually do something good! Thanks. I really try to make it the most historically accurate I can with real emotions and all.

_My brother had many masks. He didn’t let his true self show. He didn’t like who he was in reality because it made him feel and feeling was for the weak. He had a mask for every situation, he could be a humble, field worker for the big people in Mexico City or he could be a ruthless monster with no mercy to show for his enemies. But somehow, Jyn Erso broke each mask he had until he had no choice but to show his true self. And that’s what made her fall in love with him. That was his downfall._

“You already been to Tijuana?” Isabella asked as they drove in a black 1975 Ford LTD. 

Melshi, who was driving and still once in a while looking at Isabella with some eyes, answered. “Ey, pariente. Been here many, many times. I usually come with the product and leave with the cash.”

Jyn was thinking of the DEA and Cassian Andor. His story was still in her mind. How many people knew of that story? And why did he just spilled the beans to her? Although it made sense, his records showed he left the Academy when he was seventeen. Probably because of that. And Baze told her he came to Guadalajara once and was stopped and arrested. Hell, for all Jyn knew, his grief and anger for the Naranjo could’ve been the reason he started and Empire. 

“Jyn?”

Her thoughts were snapped back to reality and she looked at the others. “Sorry, I was thinking. What was the question?”

“If you know Saw Gerrera?” Isabella asked. “He’s a pretty big deal around here and if you know him, that makes you a big deal, too.”

Jyn knew she had to say some truth but she didn’t like to be reminded of a past where smuggling, paying for people’s silence and lying was a daily occurrence. Saw Gerrera had the same story as Cassian, he used to be a cop before he lost hope in the system and chose the other side. The side that killed Jyn’s mother and father. 

“Yes.” She answered confidently. “He raised me in a way.”

“So, you know that this is not Guadalajara, right?” Isabella’s eyes tingled with mischief and playfulness. 

Melshi made a right turn as he frowned. “¿Porqué dices eso?”

It was Jyn who answered. “In Tijuana, things can get real and really fast. And half of the population is American. And they know how to party.”

”Pull over here.” 

Melshi did as he was ordered. They pulled over a big ass house, a mansion. With a great front yard and bigger than anything that Jyn had ever seen. Well, apart from Cassian’s hotel. 

Solo whistled. “Carajo, is that your house?”

Isabella nodded. “A gift from my uncle Cassian.” She winked. 

“I gotta ask Andor to be my uncle then.”

Everyone laughed. 

_There something about Narcos loyalty. It’s all fun and games until the DEA and extradition enter the game. In 1978-79, Tijuana was an extension of the Guadalajara Cartel—a valuable one. The brothers Arellano Félix ran a plaza for their good friend, Cassian Andor. But when the Operation Rogue One took place, they—they searched for new...options._

_In 1988, they decided to cut ties with Cassian but it was Isabella who got them to pause the project when Cassian offered her something. Sadly, he didn’t keep his promise and he paid the price. A very high price. In 1989, he lost Tijuana to Isabella and The Arellano Félix. The first big move for his downfall in 1996._

They all entered the house and it was even bigger inside. The entrance could fit a football field in it, made all in mármol and there was a big balcony in the center of it. Two big staircases led to somewhere and a big glass door let the back yard be seen. For what Jyn saw, a bigger pool and a jacuzzi next to it.

”Damn, Cassian really loves his niece.” Solo said with a touch of admiration. 

“Jealous, Solo?” Melshi teased. 

The smuggler pulled up his pants as a sign of dignity. He looked at Chewie and sighed. “Hell yeah. I mean, I have a good house but damn, Andor literally gave away this—this house!”

Isabella laughed. “He just gave it to me.”

A man, about the same age as Solo came in. He wore a shirt, some pants and in his belt hang a walkie-talkie. He looked serious enough and stopped a few feet away from Isabella. 

“What do you need, Pedro?”

The man, Pedro, looked at her. “Mister Cassian Andor just called. Apparently, there’s been a slight change of plans, Miss Bautista.”

Isabella frowned. “What change of plans?”

”He informed me that you should wait for the arrival of three of his men.”

Jyn now decided to butt in. “We are already here.” She pointed to Melshi, Solo and herself. 

Pedro nodded but kept talking. “I’m afraid, Miss Erso that he doesn’t mean you. As we speak, Baze Malbus, Kay Tuesso and Tenoch Andor are on their way.”

Isabella sighed. “Did he tell you why?”

He shook his head. “Not quite. He just told me that Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus had a problem with Jabba the Hutt.”

”And Tenoch Andor?” Jyn asked. 

“Nothing, Miss.”

Yeah, Jyn wasn’t buying it. If there was something she had learnt over the past two weeks she had been in Guadalajara was that the Andor brothers were shady as fruck. While Cassian relied more in his quick tongue and charming demeanour, Tenoch was still a very dangerous man. Mostly because he was an impatient, violent and very disobedient man who could also work with his quick tongue. 

Solo stretched. “Well, it’s a good two hour ride from Guadalajara to here. I might as well get cozy, do you have a bar?”

Pedro answered. “Come with me—” He then looked at Isabella. “Con su permiso, señorita.”

Solo grinned as he followed Pedro to get drunk. Melshi looked at the two women and they all sighed. “Well, I guess we should follow him. I’ve met Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus but Tenoch? I know him by name.” Isabella said. 

Jyn rolled her eyes but was careful with the words that came out of her mouth. “He’s as deadly as Cassian. He just has a “moral code” and doesn’t use it as much as his big brother.”

* * *

Kay Tuesso was reading the newspaper and Baze was sleeping, Tenoch was just looking at the clouds outside the window. A private plane, his brother had it all. Kay stopped reading and saw Tenoch’s attention to the clouds. 

“Never flown before or what?” 

Tenoch looked at Kay and shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t. Beautiful.”

Kay laughed. “I guess, to be frank, I like the earth much better but flying once in a while does help the soul.”

”And God knows we need to save as much as we can of our souls.”

Kay looked at the man. He did remind him of Cassian. He had the same eyes as his brother and some shared traits, for example how both Cassian and Tenoch closed their right eye when having a headache but Kay saw more differences in them two. One of them was that Tenoch was left-handed and had a horrible handwriting that no one could understand. But he was also a very explosive man, Kay saw how he had to take deep breaths to not hit someone right there. Hell, he was super impatient with some things and very, very disobedient with some authorities. 

Physically, the two brothers had the same skin color and maybe the same scar under their chin. But Cassian had a beard and a not-so-long hair but not short. Tenoch had short hair, which was always out of line and a moustache. Kay snorted when he first saw Tenoch with that ridiculous moustache. 

“Why did Cassian call us to Tijuana?” The brother asked. “Just a few hours ago, I saw him.”

Kay sighed as he shifted in his seat. “You’re Head of Security, I’m Head of Exportation and old hag there is Head of Internal & External Affairs. And Jabba the Hutt has fucked up with the security, exportation and business.”

”I have a feeling there’s something more.”

”Cassian is the Boss Of Bosses and he has so much to do in his office—as you seen. So, he cannot go here and there resolving problems. He’s too important for that. Baze and I try to be there. But you are his brother and—”

”I carry the name of Andor as well, so, in a way, I’m here to represent him.”

Kay nodded. “Bingo.”

Tenoch sighed. “But you’re his partners. You built this, too.”

Kay chuckled. “Oh, believe me. We know. Tu hermano wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for us, did you know he had a 63% chances of failing in the first three months?”

Tenoch gave a sad smile and laugh. “Thank you, Kay for keeping my brother safe while I couldn’t.”

”We might not had always gotten along but we both wanted the best for Cassian. And maybe you don’t agree with my methods but hey, at least you’re now in our side.”

”Yeah.”

Then a grumble was heard and a big yawn as well. “Calladitos se ven más bonitos. You woke me up!” Baze boomed. 

“Old hag, all you do is sleep, drink and sleep. Come on, you deserve to be waken up.” Kay said with a smile. 

“Shut up, Kay. I swear to God, we’re a thousand feet in the air and I won’t hesitate to throw you down the door and tell Cassian a little “accident” happened.”

Tenoch saw the interactions both men made with each other. And he couldn’t help but smile a little bit. Cassian had chosen right—well, not right,  _right_ because he still chose the drug traffickers but at least, he chose a good pair. Tenoch still couldn’t feel but a bit out. That wasn’t his life, that wasn’t his personality, he didn’t crave power like they did and he didn’t want problems like they had. He didn’t belong there even if his brother fit like a glove. 

“—it was an accident, Old Hag, I didn’t mean to freaking hit you.”

”Thanks to you I had to pay the repairs for my house and in top of that, I got some fucking headaches for two weeks!”

Tenoch snapped back to reality and smiled again. He might not fit in but he could at least act like he did. After all, didn’t he do that all the time? Go undercover and take down the bad guys? Why was that time so different? Maybe because all the other times were different people—not actually him. And he wasn’t plotting against his brother and his partners. 

“What do you think, Rudo?” Kay said. “In a fight, who would win? He or I?”

”I’m not sure.” He answered. “Probably Baze because he’s more intimidating than you.”

Baze laughed and Kay looked fake offended. 

“I made the seedless mota. I made the biggest field in the world! All Baze did was complain about Cassian’s abilities to convince people.”

”Your friend’s abilities to convince people is to shoot them if they don’t agree—no offence.” Baze looked at Tenoch. 

This last said it was fine and just sank in his seat. He was tired, too tired. It was just two freaking days since he became a “partner” but before that, Tenoch was never keen in taking care of oneself. He didn’t smoke as much as his brother because he still thought the smoke was a bit too raw but he did drink. And a lot. He wondered if it would be okay if he showed up to Tijuana a bit—just a bit drunk. 

He grabbed a small bottle of Mezcal and just decided to drink it all before landing. 

Kay saw that and frowned. “There’s a 90% chance you’re going to be drunk when we’ll land if you keep doing that.”

”That’s the goal.” Tenoch answered as he took another drink.

”You’re the one that’s going to talk to Jabba the Hutt, well, we’re going to talk with him first but you’re the one that’s gonna deliver the last blow.”

Baze grunted. “If it was me who was boss, I would just shot that big, old fat asshole in the spot.”

Tenoch raised the bottle. “Salud, pues. To shooting the fat asshole on the spot.” And drank. 

* * *

Turns out, the bar wasn’t the only thing Melshi and Solo hit. Jyn was drinking while watching the two idiots snorted a white powder she knew was cocaine. For the past two hours they have snorted and drank. Solo seemed to like it very much and Melshi was pretty much high now. Although he said he could still fly them back home. Chewie doubted it as he drank a little bit  

Isabella was next to Jyn. “You don’t wanna try?”

”No, no. Saw trained me to never taste the product because it becomes a vice. So, no. I rather not smoke or snort cocaine.”

”Smart girl.”

Cocaine was still a small business, Jyn knew. The whole market was based around Colombia and not Mexico. The Colombian jungle was perfect to make it and she heard that they used some Caribbean routes to ship it to Miami. She met a man named Steve Murphy before he left to take an assignment with Javier Peña to stop a new drug trafficker, Pablo Escobar. 

She knew Cassian would be interested in the blow business one of those days. It was taking off and many people were getting into it. It was perfect business for him—and more profits. He wouldn’t make a decision as of now, she thought, he wasn’t as stupid as that. But he might consider to be a helping hand with the blow business. 

“You’re in the cocaine business?” She asked. 

Isabella nodded. “My uncle and I have our differences, he believes that marijuana is more stable than the cocaine business. He also thinks that it is a very small business. But I believe that everything’s based in perspective. He’s filthy rich now but he doesn’t see the big picture.”

”And what would that be?”

”He could be even more filthy rich if he invested here.” She sighed. “But I understand, he might be twenty-six but his soul is in the old generation of traffickers. He’s more conservative than many.”

Pedro came back. “Miss Bautista, they have arrived.” But there was something odd about his face. 

“What’s wrong then?” 

Before he could answer, three men came in. Jyn had seen them before. Kay Tuesso still looked at her with some doubt. He wore a flannel shirt with some very black pants, a golden watch and what she thought were some leather shoes. The other man was Baze Malbus and he was the same as ever, he wore his cowboy hat with the same cowboy shirt and the same light brown wore leather jacket. 

Now, she saw the problem. He wasn’t too drunk but he wasn’t too sober either. His eyes looked a little bit distracted and his posture was a bit too loose for anyone sober. He still kept a high stand and looked at everyone as if he tried not to look drunk. He had to be the one without some flashy clothes as he only had a black shirt, some jeans and tennis shoes. 

“¡Deja esa chingadera!” He yelled at the two other men. His words trailed off a little bit and maybe he sounded more off than normal but it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. 

Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi both looked at the three men. They both got up very, very fast. Melshi try his hardest to be taken seriously and Solo failed because white powder was still in his nose. 

Kay sighed. “I see you met the new drug, cocaine. And I see you’re learning very fast.”

”Disculpe, Patrón.” Ruescott said. “But come on, is fucking good.”

Tenoch walked to greet Isabella. His steps were calculated as if he didn’t want to fall or he did want to fall. 

“Isabella Bautista.”

”Tenoch Andor.”

He chuckled. “I see you’re not a big fan of me.”

Isabella shook her head. “No, no. It’s not that.”

”Then?” 

“Cassian rarely talked about you and everyone thought you were the incorruptible cop in the whole world. You didn’t support this way of income, so what’s new?”

Tenoch looked away as if he was thinking of an answer. Jyn’s eyes met his own and she knew then that he had an actual reason to join the cartel. 

He cleared his throat. “A lot is new, Isabella. The world is changing and it’s changing very fast. That’s why there was a change of plans.”

Baze grunted. “You’re no longer needed to take care of Jabba the Hutt. Cassian thought that it would be best if you stayed out of it.”

Isabella frowned. “He doesn’t think I’m capable?”

”All the contrary, he knows you’re very capable of taking care of yourself but the Arellano Félix requested your aid in something else. Solo and Melshi will help you with that something else. Jabba the Hutt has to answer to Kay, Tenoch and I.”

”What about me?” Jyn spoke. 

Tenoch smiled as he got something off his pocket. A little piece of paper. “Cassian is a very busy guy but he told me to give you this.”

”Now.” Kay’s voice boomed. “You two—” He pointed at Melshi and Solo. “Wash your faces and I want you two ready in three minutes.”

_There was a detail that was escaping everyone—even me. Cassian had built that Empire with Baze Malbus and Kay Tuesso and he had made them partners, so they were equals. But you feel that they’re not equals, right? Cassian Andor had given them a role to play, Tuesso with being the Head of Exportation and Malbus with being Head of Internal & External Affairs. He made some fancy names and that was it. _

_Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus were in for a discovery. Cassian Andor had played them, he had twisted them and played them for his own little game. He had made them pawns in a much bigger game. By the time we all realized, it was way too late. Cassian was the Boss Of Bosses and what he said was done. Kay and Baze were not equals, they answered him. They worked for him. Not with him._

_Cassian managed to play every single person. Even me. To put them to do jobs—dirty jobs for him while he just stayed in his office getting all the money. That day, it was a clear sign of it. Sending Baze Malbus and Kay Tuesso to Tijuana for a little dispute with Jabba the Hutt? Yeah, something didn’t smell right._

* * *

”¿Allô?” A Honduran’s accent was heard over the phone line. 

Cassian smiled. “Matta Ballesteros, remember me?”

The line laughed. “Mister Mexico. Of course I remember you, what do I own the pleasure of your call.”

He shrugged. “Nomás para hablarle un poquito. I remember about a year ago we talked and Gilberto Rodríguez came and bursted our party.”

”Yeah, yeah. We were talking about expanding your mota to Tijuana and San Diego.”

”He’s in the cocaine business, right?”

A very mischievous tone was set in. “What now, Mister Mexico, why so interested in cocaine?”

Cassian laughed. “Espérese tantito. I’m not here to make an offer, it would be dumb of my part to just change the product with just six months of working, I just wanna know.”

Matta laughed. “A kilo of cocaine is worth 330,000$”

”Chinga, that’s in US dollars?”

”Yes. Nice right?”

Cassian knew his street value of his mota was of 11,005$ per kilo. That was a lot but what Matta told him was even more so. It was the triple of what he made. 

“Mister Mexico, you’re there?”

”Yeah, sorry. It’s just a lot of money. How much do you make?”

”Escobar gives me about 500 kilos of cocaine for my planes and I have four planes and the coke is 330,000$ and I get to keep 45%. Do the math, Mister Mexico.”

Cassian was awful at math—funny, right? But that time, he did the math just out of curiousity. He dropped the pen when he got the result. 

“Well, Mister Mexico?”

”Eso, eso es 297,000,000$ you get to keep.”

”I do that four times a week, it would be in the end be 1,188,000,000$”

”You win that in a week?” Cassian blurted out.

”Mister Mexico, don’t worry, you’re still the richest man in Mexico. Marijuana is still a good income.”

Cassian knew he was being mocked off. He still made more than what Matta made because he had way more mota and he sold it at a high price. What astounded him was how much he would win if he made a deal with Colombians to move more than 500 kilos across the border and get them to let him keep 50% of profits. Hell, he would be actually the richest man in all Mexico. 

“Cassian Andor, I might have a job you might be interested in.”

”Ey. Estoy escuchando.”

”I got a lot of product sitting around in Tijuana and I would move it but Jabba the Hutt decided he could steal what’s mine and sell it as his own. I’m right now in Honduras and I can’t send someone personally but you, Mister Mexico is only what? Two hours away from Tijuana? I bet you have a lot of contacts laying around.”

”Ey.” He smiled because he knew where that was going at. 

“If you can recover my product from the filthy hands of Jabba the Hutt as a personal thank you, I would let you keep 20% of the product to sell it as your own. Just a little taste of what could be the future.”

Cassian thought. He had Isabella to take care of the little dispute that Solo had with the Hutt. He knew that if he told her about that deal, it would make him look as a hypocrite and then everyone would knew he was beginning to export cocaine and Kay would be mad and all. 

But there was Tenoch, he sure as Hell could handle the pressure and keep it all under control. But no, he would also be a very obvious choice and the secrecy of the deal would go to Hell—there it was. He knew who could he trust with that information, someone that few would suspect and could care less about it. 

“Está bueno, I’m in. I’ll recover the merchandise for you but instead of 20%, I want 35%.”

Matta laughed. “Very well, Mister Mexico. Hope it all goes as smoothly as it always does.”

”Don’t worry, I’ll have four of my best people on it.”

* * *

 

Jyn Erso opened the small paper which it said. 

_**There’s no business like the blow business, Stardust.** _

_**-Cassian Andor.** _

Oddly enough, she knew what he meant by that. And she had to make a serious mental note to inform the DEA. Tenoch was at her left, with some sunglasses and listening to the radio. She leaned and whispered on his ear. 

“He’s doing it.”

That was all Tenoch needed to look at Jyn with worrisome eyes. Even with the sunglasses, she could see the doubt and worry that Tenoch had. 

“Que Dios lo acompañe pues.”

_Remember when I told you Cassian Andor started trafficking cocaine to the United States of America in 1981? Well, that’s true. He began operations to trafficate the white powder to the other side publicly in 1981. But between 1978 and 1981, he used to do some little “jobs” with Matta Ballesteros here and there. And no one ever suspected it. He always had the same cover up, he packed the cocaine in the same ways he packed the mota without telling Kay._

_He made in March 1979, a little ops that were in charge of packing the cocaine and then do as if it was mota. He worked with Ballesteros for two whole years, doing little jobs without his “partners” finding out. And by the time he announced his decision to move cocaine to his partners, he was an expert on it._

_A fucking genius he was. A genius with a brillant disguise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s a name you would give for Cassian’s son? For some odd reason, I always had Carlos in mind.
> 
>  
> 
> No kidding, I actually searched up the street value of cocaine and weed in 1980. That’s how accurate I’m going. Also, I searched the types of cars they drove. Hell, I’m literally being accurate.


	14. The Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian & Tenoch Andor both believed in the Force. Although, they believed the Force’s powers differently. 
> 
> Neither of them got it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenoch’s birthday is a day after Cassian’s because of two things. 
> 
> 1\. It just makes sense if I say he was born in 1953. 
> 
> 2\. I was actually born the 30th December. Yeah, go figure that my birthday is right after Diego Luna’s.

_Funny enough, my birthday was right after Cassian’s. Our parents said it was because we would have an unbreakable bond. And for the biggest part of our childhood, yeah but then Cassian decided to be a Narco and here we are. My brother hated his birthday after his wife died and I hate my birthday because it was another reminder that he left me for his Narcos buddies._

Three days later, Tenoch showed up to the DEA headquarters with Jyn Erso. He told his brother he was going to rest for a while and pretty much get drunk again while Jyn told him she had to talk with a Dameron. Cassian was already very possessive of Jyn, and barely left her out of his sight. It felt kind of good to know that the Head of the organization liked you but it was not so good when you’re literally the DEA agent he’s hunting down. 

“Ay! Ay! Be careful, Erso.” Tenoch mumbled as they walked slowly to the DEA’s office. 

Jyn was holding unto Tenoch’s left arm with delicacy as he walked while limping. “Not my fault you decided to end things like that with Jabba.”

”Oh, and how would the great Jyn Erso do it then?” 

“Not like you did.” She gave him a smile. 

They were greeted by Bodhi. He was the same as Jyn saw days before, he still had the googles in his head and he looked less nervous, that was good. 

“Hey, you made it—what happened?”

The reason he asked “what happened” was a very funny story for Jyn and a not so funny story for Tenoch. The younger brother of Cassian was sporting a black eye that was now turning yellow, a busted lip, a bruised jaw, a broken wrist, bruised ribs and he limped because his left leg hurt like Hell. 

“Nothing.” Tenoch grumbled. 

“He got into a fight with some of Jabba the Hutt’s assassins.”

Bodhi nodded. “Aren’t you suppose to be resting then?”

Tenoch shook his head. “Well, no. It’s not that bad, it’s just a little bruise.” He made a grimace because it still hurt when he talked. 

“You’re needing of support to walk.” Jyn looked at him the same way his mother did. 

His mother. 

He frowned at that memory but shook it quickly. 

“Let’s just do what we came here to do. Cassian will need of us sooner or later.”

”Why? What’s going on?” Bodhi asked. “Is—is it something bad?”

”His birthday. It’s his birthday.”

”Oh, o—okay.”

Jyn then gave a little shook to Tenoch which he held a groan of pain. “And tomorrow is this guy’s birthday!”

”Erso, you know why my nickname is Rudo?” Tenoch whispered. “Because I do things very toughly. This isn’t the first time I got into a fight. In fact, go check my license and you’ll see me with a black eye as well.”

”Here—here, Leia and Luke are putting in order all the—the things you’ve tell them.” Bodhi stuttered. 

“You’re ready to walk again, Rudo?” Jyn teased. 

“Just walk, little sister.”

Leia and Luke were doing paperwork in their desks, too concentrated to see the three guest entering. Luke was pinpointing all the locations Tenoch had given him for the past days while Leia was checking any unusual activity under the hotel. It was Luke who looked up and saw Bodhi getting a chair ready, Jyn helping a beaten Tenoch sit down in the chair making a face. 

“What happened?” He asked and broke the concentration of his sister. 

“Cassian is definitely interested in the cocaine business.” Jyn answered. “He ordered Tenoch to help liberate a cargo of Matta Ballesteros.”

”And let’s just say that Jabba the Hutt and I got into a little disagreement.” Tenoch added. “But it’s quite over, he’s dead and I’m alive. My brother seized 35% of the product and it’s selling it as we speak.”

Leia nodded. “That’s great information, guys. Anything else?”

Jyn spoke. “He’s very paranoid. And he’s someone who won’t hesitate to kill if necessary. He has bought all the city. Senators are there, governors are there. The DFS is there as well.”

Luke agreed with her. “We tried to get in contact with them, always make us wait weeks. We had our suspicions about the corruption of the DFS. Now you have confirmed.”

”But make no mistake, the DFS is just there because Cassian pays them. My brother hates the new director Krennic Orson, and the feeling is mutual.”

“Do you think Orson could help us get to him? If he doesn’t like your brother?” Leia proposed.

Tenoch tensed at those words but shook his head. “Orson is all about the money and Cassian is supplying him with big amounts of it. And it’s not up to Orson to end the partnership, it’s up to his big bosses in Mexico City and they wouldn’t like the stop of the cash.”

”Then we do what?” She sighed. 

Jyn shrugged. “We wait, there’s nothing more we can do.”

Bodhi coughed. “May—may I speak?”

They all looked at Bodhi. “Yes?” Tenoch said even if it sounded more like a question. 

“We—well, Luke and Leia received information about Cassian’s knowledge about Galen and Jyn Erso, rig—right?”

”That’s right.” Jyn said. 

“He—he doesn’t know your father snitched to the—the DEA, right?”

”Yes.”

He looked at Tenoch but not in the eyes. “And he hasn’t found out abou—about the real DEA agent, ri—right?”

The bruised man snorted. “I do a good work in covering Jyn’s traces, so yeah. He’s still in the dark, why?”

”Then it means he trusts—he trusts you two more than his actual part—partners.”

Leia agreed and looked at both agents. “Bodhi has a point, Cassian Andor let two strangers into his cartel and didn’t even bother to check his sources. He trusts Tenoch when it comes to the DEA agent and he trusts Jyn to not dig more information. Didn’t Jyn tell me Kay Tuesso was very skeptical about all of it?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Probably because he’s the only one with common sense but yeah, I would also be skeptical when my boss gives very high places to two strangers.”

”So, you’re telling us to take advantage of it?” Jyn asked. 

“He still trusts Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus, that’s known and he will still want their approval in some things but if you two, with the right amount of pressure, can keep him from doing some things, it would be a major help.”

Tenoch looked at all of them incredulously. “Momentito, por favorcito. You’re basically asking us, us.” He emphasized the ‘us’.  “To go and ever so stealthily take the jobs of Kay Tuesso and Baze Malbus and pray to the Force we won’t die?!”

Leia, or anyone would answer but they were all stopped by what Tenoch said. Luke looked at the man with a pair of confusing eyes. “The Force?”

Tenoch sighed and shook his head. “Sorry, sorry, forgot you Americans don’t believe in the Force.” He restrained to not say “gringos”.

Bodhi, however, who was born in La Tuna, Badiraguato knew what was the Force and what it did. And he was more than happy to provide help for the people that had helped him for the past years.

”The Force is what moves—what connects all life on Ea-Earth. It’s the reason why people meet each other. It’s the reason we—we are alive. Old people used to say that when you die—if you die without finishing your goal, you—you become one with the Force.”

Tenoch nodded. “It’s basically God’s will on us. We were taught since kids that everything’s as the Force wills. It’s God’s way to be connected with us. That’s why you might hear some people say “May the Force be with you”. It’s the—well, feeling that connect us with God.”

”There’s a—a way to connect with the Force. Old men at my to—town used to say that Moises and Abraham were able to talk with—with God because they were one with the Force.”

Then, the bruised man snorted. “But there’s very few people that actually connects with the Force. It’s mostly priests and Chirrut Îmwe. But there’s two ways to “use” Force. Although one is very frowned upon.”

Luke was getting hooked by the story. “Which are?”

”Give in to you anger, let the hate flow through or...” Bodhi looked at Tenoch to finish the sentence. 

He sighed. “Let go of what you fear to lose and may the Force be with you.” He saw how everyone except Bodhi looked at him weirdly. Probably because it rhymed. “It’s a prayer, alright? We had to quote it in church and in my case, Catholic Church.”

“Another thing we should know?” Luke asked. 

Bodhi smiled. “It’s said that after you die—you go to Heaven or Hell as the person you died as and then—then a part of your soul goes back to the living world as another one. To live another life.”

Tenoch grunted. “Yeah. And they say it’s not necessarily when someone’s born, it can be a child or an adult. It’s the Force and God’s circle of life.”

“And do you believe in it?” Jyn said. 

“Who? Me or Bodhi?”

”Both.”

Bodhi was the first to answer. “I— I really do believe it. My mom said that in my past lives I was—was a cop, a revolutionary and she even said I could’ve been a president! She said it—it was because of my—my kind heart.” He blushed. 

Tenoch shrugged. “Más o menos, I think about life as ‘you only get one shot at it’ thing but I think it’s nice or would be nice to know that one life doesn’t define your whole soul.”

Jyn knew he wasn’t talking of himself when he explained it. 

* * *

 

Cassian, as usual, was at his office, at his desk. Load of paperwork was done and he didn’t have a lot to do. It was about noon, three or two hours ago Baze and Kay were there, trying to change his mind about his birthday. He didn’t feel twenty-seven, even if he, technically was officially twenty-seven. He felt much older and wondered if he was a masochist or a bitter man. 

There was a knock on his door. Tony opened it and Cassian heard the limping of a man and his curses. 

“Feliz cumpleaños, Cassian.” He spoke. 

He looked up and saw a smile on his face. He frowned when he saw his black eye, his bruised jaw. He frowned when he saw how he had a cane which he took in support, his knuckles raw and red. He frowned when he saw the cast in his right hand. 

“It looks worse than it is.” Tenoch said. 

Cassian sighed. “You know? It should be reverse. I’m the one that should be getting in trouble for my little brother than this.”

Tenoch limped to a chair and he sat trying not to groan in pain. “You haven’t seen my ribs.” He joked. 

Cassian’s frown became deeper. 

“Happy birthday, big brother. How does it feel to be twenty-seven?”

Cassian shrugged. “Nothing. Nothing at all, and sadly Kay made me organize a small, private party this night.”

”His treat, right?” Tenoch teased. 

“Yeah but I told him I didn’t want any party.”

Tenoch chuckled bitterly. “What’s new with you?” He mumbled. 

Cassian looked up again from his paperwork. He looked at his brother. “What does that mean?”

Tenoch shook his head. “Nothing, Nothing. Continue.”

Cassian let go of his pen. “Are you celebrating  _your_ birthday tomorrow, Tenoch?” 

“No. I won’t.” Tenoch looked at him straight in the eye. 

His brother scoffed. “What else is new?”

”My reasons are not the same as yours. I don’t celebrate my birthday for an actually good reason.”

”Sure you do, Beto.”

”Don’t call me Beto.” Tenoch snarled. “Have you forgotten where were you for six years?”

Cassian looked offended. “I’m sorry but I remember you’re the one that left Sinaloa to move to Jalisco.”

”You’re the one that broke mom’s heart, don’t you remember? You shut us off!”

”I was mourning, don’t you remember?” Cassian spited back. “Oh, wait, you never been in love.”

Tenoch’s patience was a big as a mouse. He almost died because Jabba the Hutt insulted him, he wasn’t going to let his brother do the same. His rage consumed him very easily and he stood up even if it hurt a lot. 

“You’re not the only one that lost everything, some of us just decided to do something about it.” He said in a soft and deadly voice. 

“Oh, for God’s sake, what could possibly had lost that day?!”

Tenoch scoffed. “¡No sé! Maybe my sister-in-law, my future nephew and oh, I dunno, my brother?! You’re not the only one that cared about her, mom cared about her, I cared as well! And we need—I need you as well!”

Cassian looked down in anger. “You left Culiacán when I offered you a place in my Empire. You—”

”You shut me off your life, Cassian! You became obsessed with the drug empires and stopped talking with me! Your brother, the one that cared about you, the one that was always gonna have your back! You left me! I didn’t leave you. You left me.”

”She was my wife, she was having my baby!”

”And she was my sister and she was having my nephew as well!”

Cassian stood up in rage as well. “Then where were you when those officers just let the Naranjo shoot her? ¿En dónde carajos estabas tú?”

Tenoch said nothing. 

Cassian nodded. “Yeah, that’s right, you weren’t there. You weren’t even there.”

Tenoch mumbled something very quietly for Cassian to hear. 

“What?”

”30th December, 1974. Do you know how old was I?”

Cassian was heavily breathing but he answered. “Twenty-one.”

Tenoch nodded as he sat down with difficulties. He took something out of his jacket pocket, something resembling a pill. “This is a lullaby pill. It’s given to high clearance members of the DFS, it’s meant to kill you instantly if you get captured. Wanna know when I got this?”

Cassian said nothing so, Tenoch continued. 

“I stole one like this in a visit to the DFS, the 29th December of the same year. And I was late at night thinking. I got into a bar, got drunk as an honor to your birthday and when I was going back home, I stopped. My drunken ass me thought about the pill in my little pocket. And I thought “Well, I haven’t seen my brother in two years, he hates me, he left me, he doesn’t care about me, so why not?” ”

Cassian knew where this was going. 

“I went home and stopped at my house, it was the middle of the goddamn night, no one was around. I took the pill out of my pocket and I looked at it, studied it. You went without pain and I liked that. No pain. But I must’ve taken too long or maybe I was too loud or something because a neighbor called the police.”

Tenoch chuckled. “The police comes and sees me with the lullaby pill and tells me where I got that, he doesn’t know I’m an office as well and I was too drunk to answer. So, in my last drunken thoughts. I swallowed the pill.”

Big Brother was already in his chair and winced. 

“I wake up in a hospital room with a doctor that tells me the officer immediately made me throw up the pill. He then proceeded to take me to emergencies when they identified me as an officer. It was my birthday. I, of course to keep my job, had to lie and say I mistook the pill for a candy because I was drunk. They let me go.”

Tenoch then threw the pill at Cassian. “A year later, a sicario from the Naranjo brothers comes and gives me that. Tells me that I should swallow it again and this time not miss.”

Cassian studied the pill. 

“Six months ago you told me my last name was the only reason I was a cop and I was still alive. You’re wrong. My last name is the reason I almost lost my job and committed suicide.”

”Tenoch—”

”You’re not the only one that lost everything, Cassian. I lost my brother and in a way, that hurt me as much as it hurt it you to lose her. But of course, you never saw that, you just closed your world.”

He stood up and limped to the door. “I assume Jyn Erso will be invited to the party.”

Cassian only nodded. 

Tenoch smiled. “Good, she’s a good person.” He sighed. “I shall get going, may the Force be with you, Cassian.”

”May the Force be with you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think Tenoch is a good guy?
> 
> For me, he’s just a man who has suffered a lot. And that’s why I want him to have a friendship with Bodhi.
> 
> “Give in to your anger, let the hate flow through or let go of what you fear to lose and may the Force be with you.”
> 
> Which one you think describes Cassian and which one describes Tenoch?


	15. Masters of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You fasten all the triggers  
> For the others to fire  
> Then you sit back and watch  
> When the death count gets higher  
> You hide in your mansion  
> While the young people's blood  
> Flows out of their bodies  
> And is buried in the mud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this one!

_In all my years as a cop, I learnt something. The Americans don’t give a shit about us, they meddle in our affairs and say there here to help—to free us from the bad men. They say it’s necessary but I know the reality, they don’t care. Why should they? It’s not their neighbor who is out there, it’s not their family. It’s not their people. They’re the masters of war. Not us._

Leia Organa knew how Tenoch Beto Andor felt about the Americans and the drug battle. She read all of his reports, she read all of his news and she heard of all of his opinions. He had a certain pride, just like she had with her country. His pride was shared by his brother, they both believed that Mexico would be a better country without the “gringos” meddling in. 

She knew how he felt about the whole operation. He didn’t like it at all, Leia could bet that if it wasn’t because his sense of justice was higher than his sense of pride, he would’ve ended up like his brother—maybe worse. But they had to learn to trust each other, both ways. She knew they generalized Mexicans as drug kingpins and she knew they generalized Americans as war masters. 

They had to learn to trust each other. Tenoch couldn’t blame everything in the DEA and Leia couldn’t blame him for everything wrong in Mexico. They both had the same goal, to take down Cassian Andor, although Tenoch rather wait years and years until he could have an opening to save him. Leia, however, meant what she said, if the occasion was presented, they would kill Cassian Andor without hesitation. 

And if Tenoch Andor had to fall with him, then Leia would weep later. 

“What do you think?” Luke asked once Tenoch and Jyn left. 

“About who or what?”

”Him. What do you think about him.”

She sighed. “He’s a good man, a good cop. He’s just—he’s just—”

”Overprotective? Prideful?”

”—careful.” She looked at her brother. “Careful. He’s careful with us, he still cares about his brother and he isn’t as trusting with the DEA.”

”I get it, I mean, if it was me in his place, I don’t know what I would do, if you were a drug kingpin, I don’t know.” He looked at the map, they had started a big map on the floor which Cassian’s operations were. And in the middle of it all was the golden boy itself. 

“Trust goes both ways.”

Luke looked at her. He looked at his sister with those eyes, those honest, soul-seeing eyes. The ones who could see every lie, every little hesitation someone could have. He was innocent, or innocent enough. He didn’t kill and he thought everyone deserved a chance. That was his power, his skill, to know when someone was bullshitting or saying that the truth. 

“But you’re not going to give him that.” He said. “You’re going to give him some trust and that’s all.”

Leia found herself in defiance. “He’s the brother of a drug kingpin, he might as well snitch on us to his brother. He won’t give us his full trust either, Luke. He is weary of us.”

He raised his hands in defeat. “I’m just saying. And Jyn?”

”What about Jyn?”

”She looks better than we saw before. She’s getting cozy there, getting comfortable.”

Leia looked at him with incredulous eyes. “You think she might go to them? She’s Jyn Erso, she hates those kind of people.”

Luke just shrugged. “I’m not saying anything, Leia, take a breath. I’m not assuming anything, I’m just pointing out facts.”

”And here I thought that was my job.”

Luke laughed but deep down his heart, he was worried Jyn was getting to comfortable with the drug kingpins. With Cassian Andor. 

* * *

_To arrest someone like Cassian Andor, you had to dig up some dirt. He had to have some kind of record. But you see, back in the early 80s, computers were starting to make an appearance but not as big as now. So, if you wanted to dig up some dirt you had to do it manually, in other words, you had to take every single file that person had in paper._

_But here’s the problem:_

_Cassian Andor and his partners were legally part of the DFS, remember that? Well the DFS was basically a “I can do anything I want” organization. And they didn’t want anything to be link their agents to the drug game, so, if Cassian or his buddies had a record, it was very probable that the DFS had erased that record._

_But then here’s the other thing: Bad guys have to get lucky everytime but good guys? Oh, we just need to get lucky one time._

Maybe it was the anger, probably the anger that he felt in that moment that led him to that action. He was angry at his brother for being such stubborn man, he was angry at his brother for many things. Maybe that’s why he had left the hotel and went back to his desk in the Guadalajara police department. No one was there, maybe because the cops all worked for him. 

He sat down in his desk, hundred of files piled around it. A cigarette hanging on his mouth and he looked for anything that would incriminate his brother. The image that everyone had was of a perfectly organized man who always wore a suit and his hair and beard were always perfectly trimmed. But he knew better, there had to be some dirt around. 

He drank a little bit as he smoked a little bit—never a fan of smoking, he did it once in a while but it was the bottle who was his one true friend. Anyways, he continued searching, pulling files and files in piles and spending a good part of his day there. When he first checked his watch it was 2:03 pm and the newest check said it was 5:45 pm. 

God, he was tired. When was the last time he slept? He didn’t remember anymore. He was so tired and exhausted. And it didn’t help when his fucking body was all beaten up. His wrist itching thanks to that dumb cast and his body screaming in pain because of what Jabba did to him. He thought about missing Cassian’s party, to leave the guy alone for a change. But he sighed, he was the Head of Security, he had to be there. 

When it was 7:32 pm, he realized he was pretty much going nowhere with it. He had checked hundreds of files and not a single one mentioned his brother or his friends and he didn’t think it would be. The DFS were good at their jobs. They knew how to erase someone from the system. He was just going to do one more search, one more file and he would be done and should go get ready for his brother’s stupid party. 

He grabbed one by chance. He was so tired and So, unmotivated that he didn’t care if it was the right or the wrong one. But when he opened, his eyes—or eye (the black eye) immediately. He couldn’t believe his luck—in fact, he thought that it couldn’t be possible. There on his hands laid two papers, one was a photo and the other a report. He looked at it. He studied the photo and the year it was taken. 

It was a mugshot, taken in 1970. And not any mugshot, in that mugshot facing front with a plaque, Cassian was. He looked less organized and more reckless. His hair was messy and a good strand was in the middle of his forehead, he had a black eye and his expression was grim. His beard was not even and he looked at the camera as if he was bored, frustrated and angry. He looked dangerous. 

Tenoch decided to read the report. 

_**Full Name: Cassian Jeron Andor** _

_**Date of Birth: 29/12/1952** _

_**Age: 18 years old** _

_**Place of Birth: Culiacán, Sinaloa** _

_**Color of eyes: Black** _

_**Hair Color: Black** _

_**Date of arrest: 31/12/70** _

_**Arresting officer: Juan José Esparragoza**_

_**Plaque Number: S6 CEFERESO 1** _

_**3578-AJ-22-02-14** _

_**Cause of arrest: Suspect was found trying to flee the state after shooting civilians in public.** _

_**Officer’s report: Inmate Andor was found trying to flee Jalisco after shooting three civilians in open air hours before. He did not resist arrest and he was very polite towards us. He was found with a gun on his hands and blood splatter all around his clothes. He had a black eye and a bruised rib when Medical check. He admits to killing the three civilians. Records show he was a policeman in training. Tomorrow he shall be tried for first-degree murder.**_

_**Victims: María Santa Cruz Juárez (43 years old)** _

_**Ernesto Juan Jaramillo Miranda (67 years old)** _

_**Mateo Nicolás Arango Palma (21 years old)** _

Tenoch didn’t understand at all. He knew his brother came to Guadalajara years ago before they had the fallout. He knew he fled someone or something but ended up in jail for a while until Azul left him go. What he didn’t understand is why did he kill those three civilians, for all Tenoch knew those names weren’t linked to any narco. Then, it said that he got into a fight to have a black eye and a bruised rib. 

He figured it wasn’t going to make sense for him at all, Cassian had too many secrets. Although, the name Arango Palma seemed familiar to him but he had no choice to stop the search and go to the party.

* * *

Cassian Andor didn’t like parties, he didn’t like them at all. Okay, he had liked them when he was seven or eight and they were just a cake, an old candle, some gifts and his family. It was simple and the party ended when it was twenty minutes in. But as he grew and as he went deeper and deeper into that sort of business, he learnt parties attracted too much attention and he never liked the attention. 

He was trained—or half trained to not be the center of attention in any situation, to just sit in the bench and observe from there. He still had some of that training drilled in his brain and that was the reason he never liked parties. Even less when it was a party about him. 

The door of his office opened and two people entered. Those people were his family, even more than Tenoch could ever been. 

“¡Mira! Ya salió el Flaco.” Baze’s voice boomed. He still had his hat and his cowboy shirt but he wore more or less, something normal. “You see? It ain’t that bad, although you always wear suits.”

Kay snorted. “Maybe take off the coat and just leave the white shirt on, it would seem more modern looking.”

Cassian looked at them with a teasing smile and eyes. “Since when you’re fashionable? Baze is literally wearing the same thing as always and you’re—” He looked at Kay’s outfit. “You.”

Kay smile. “Ey. But you’re special, first of all we’re not the one who does paperwork all the time and this is your birthday party.”

Now it was Cassian’s turn to snort. “I wonder if it’s even a private party like you said it was.”

Baze shrugged. “Depends in how you look at it, Flaco.”

”And that’s how I know that even people I don’t know are gonna be there.”

“There’s a 89.12% chance of success if you decide to not wear the coat.” Kay ignored his snarky comment. “More if you want to impress her.” He said the word “her” with some disgust but Cassian didn’t pick that. 

He frowned, instead. “What do you mean by her? Who’s her?”

Baze laughed. “Vamos, flaquito, we all know you might have a thing for Jyn Erso. You make her a partner and leave some very high clearance stuff to her and you invited it her, personally, to your party. Don’t tell me there’s nothing there.”

Cassian frown went deeper. “That’s because there’s nothing there! I met her like a few weeks ago and I don’t have the time for—for love! I’m building an empire.”

Kay and Baze looked at each other with a gaze that could translate to “I don’t believe this guy” and Cassian saw it because he groaned in frustration. “I hate all of you—I should fire you or something.”

Baze pat him hard on the back. “You love us, Flaco. It seems like yesterday when we got freaking kidnapped by DFS.”

Kay now got serious. “Speaking of the DFS, Orson Krennic is waiting for you outside.”

Cassian tensed. “Why?”

Baze sighed. “He’s not invited at all and he claims he doesn’t care but he just needs to see you.”

”Está bueno.” Cassian cleared his throat. “Go now and leave with you fashion and dumb assumptions. I gotta talk with Krennic alone.”

Kay and Baze nodded and as they got to the door, Kay said. “Cassian, ten cuidado.”

”Ey.”

Just as they got out of the door, Orson Krennic appeared with his DFS badge and uniform. He was someone that Cassian loathed with his heart and was pretty sure the feeling was mutual, he didn’t need to observe for that.

Krennic had a very ugly smile. “Happy birthday, milord.” He mocked. “This is a very happy day indeed.”

”What do you want?”

”Nothing much. In fact, I don’t come here in my own, someone sent me here to talk to you. Against my better judgment.”

Cassian took off the coat of the black suit and hang it in his chair. “Who?”

Krennic laughed. “Well, we all gotta answer to someone. I know who I answer to but it seems like you? You don’t know who’s your boss.”

The Boss Of Bosses laughed. “I have no boss.”

”Sure.” Krennic said. “Anyways, it’s just a little favour and I’m pretty sure the Boss of bosses could handle it.”

”A favour?” Cassian snorted. “I don’t do anyone favours. I’m not a pinche perro who goes there and licks someone’s ass.”

”Again, we all answer to someone. And it’s from high clearance, my boss the Minister of Defense is ready to give you 21 million dollars for it. You just gotta do the delivery personally.”

”Personally? And what would the delivery be?”

Krennic shook his head. “You ask a lot of questions. It would be better if you don’t know, it might save your life one day.”

Cassian shook his head. “No. Tell your boss I’m not here to do favours to people, I’m not a dog or a mail courtier.”

Krennic sighed and went for the door. “Me da tristeza, de veras. You might regret it tomorrow.”

”I doubt it.”

_We all answer to someone. That’s true. I answered to the government and to my brother. Everyone answers to someone and my brother didn’t understand that, he thought he was highest in all ranks, the supreme boss. And he was right—until one point, he was the Boss Of Bosses of the traffickers and he made a system that would take forty years to go extinct but that didn’t mean he didn’t answer to someone._

_He answered to Mexico City and they answered to the CIA, and who’s the CIA? Well, they’re the ones that also helped finance my brother’s dream. Go figure, Americans starting the war and Americans trying to end the war. And in middle of it all, my brother._

* * *

 

It all happened too fast. Too fast for both Cassian and Jyn. One minute they were dancing and the other they heard someone shout and a gunshot was fired. Now everything seemed too slow, too eerie. Cassian by instinct went and put his body as protection for Jyn and now they everyone was still. Jyn was looking all over her body to see if there was signs of blood, stains of blood that could start to form. She knew she wouldn’t feel the pain just yet. 

Cassian with his body still protecting Jyn began searching for some signs he was hit, his mind began searching if there was pain anywhere but he didn’t feel it. He looked at his white shirt and saw drops of blood splattered all around it but he didn’t find any stain or pool of blood formed. That’s when his mind wondered, then who’s blood was it?

He looked to all the room and saw the frightened eyes of the wifes and the guns on his men’s hands. He didn’t find anyone on the floor, he didn’t find anyone with something. 

“Cassian.” Jyn whispered as she pulled away from him even if it was against his judgement. She pointed to something—or rather someone Cassian had missed. 

He followed her finger to the person and that’s when all of his bravado, everything he had built for that night, his calm demeanour and his even breath fell through into Hell. 

Tenoch looked at his brother and those were the eyes of a nine-years-old boy who’s big brother promised to never let anyone hurt him. 

Cassian couldn’t miss the gunshot wound on his side which was already staining a big part of his shirt and his fingers.

And then, Tenoch fell without a sound. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Cassian’s jail number is actually Chapo’s.
> 
> Yeah, a cliffhanger. Some of that. Because why not?


	16. I’m In Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He pressed his lips into hers.  
> She wasn’t going to be the reason he died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People. The moment has arrived. Read the title. The MOMENT HAS ARRIVED.  
> A FUCKING RIDE HAS STARTED AND ITS GONNA BE A EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD RIDE
> 
> 1978-1996
> 
> ITS GONNA MAKE ME AND YOU CRY

He Cassian didn’t catch his brother when he fell. 

He didn’t even have time to react. 

Tenoch fell without a sound and Cassian stood for a second like an idiot before his mind caught with his body. He ran to him, taking off his coat to try and stop—or at least slow down the flow of blood. He knew Jyn was next to him and he silently thank her for being by his side. Kay was already calling an ambulance while Baze and three other men where searching for the responsable. 

‘ _That was meant for me_ ’, he thought as he knelt. He was sure that bullet was meant for him, his brother hadn’t done anything to other people, he didn’t have the enemies Cassian had. That bullet was meant for him and his little brother had taken it for him. 

“Tenoch, vas a estar bien.” He tried to speak with confidence as he looked at the wound. 

Tenoch chuckled. “And you’re the president.” He choked. “It’s bad, I know.”

Hell yeah, it was bad. The bullet was still in Tenoch and it was in his side, next to his ribs. His shirt was already soaked in red, blood and was starting a little pool. Cassian tried to ignore the red, yellow and purple bruises that his brother had already. But it was hard when there was a hole in the middle of them.

He didn’t realize his hands were shaking and half of his body was stained in blood until Jyn touched his shoulder and he released his breath. 

“Calm down, Cassian.” She whispered. “You can’t help him if you’re like this.”

”I agree with her.” Tenoch smiled but coughed. “Are you going to let me die the eve of my birthday?”

Cassian looked at Jyn and then at Tenoch. He shook his head and try to maintain his cool. “Nunca en mi vida.”

Jyn knelt next to Cassian and studied the wound. “He needs medical attention right now, thank God the bullet didn’t pierce his lung but there’s some organs that have been touched.”

Cassian nodded as he followed her steps. He took his coat and pressed it hard in the wound making Tenoch flinch. That was about all he knew about what to do when someone had been shot. He looked at his brother, his face was paler by the second, his eyes were getting glazed and his breath was shallow. He was bleeding out. 

“What next?”

Jyn looked at Tenoch. “We have to take the bullet out of you, if not you’re gonna die soon.”

He groaned. “Kill me already.”

Cassian gave him a big look. “This is not the time for jokes, Beto!”

Jyn was already shouting for someone to bring a knife and napkins. Cassian kept putting pressure on the wound as Jyn left to get them. 

“Why did you kill them?” His brother’s voice was a weak whisper. 

“What?”

”The three civilians. 1970. Why?”

Cassian knew of what he talked about. He was surprised his brother knew about it. The three civilians, the ones that the report said were killed randomly out of anger. It didn’t surprise him when he read the report, the three civilians didn’t have anything in common not even a person who they knew. 

“It’s not the time for that conversation.”

Tenoch tried to shrug but ended up groaning in pain. “I see. So you are indeed a monster.”

”Beto, no es el momento para hablar de eso.” Cassian warned him. 

Tenoch didn’t say anything. He just try to maintain his eyes opened and stay awake. 

Jyn came back with a lot of napkins and towels, a glove and a knife. Cassian looked at her and he already knew that was going to hurt a lot. 

“Kay!” She yelled. “Come here with two other men.”

Jyn grabbed a towel and made it into a cylinder, she looked at Tenoch who was soaked in sweat. “Bite this because it’s going to hurt.”

With efforts, he smiled. “Well, fuck me.” He whispered and grabbed the towel in between his teeth. 

Kay came with two other men, he didn’t like when Jyn Erso gave orders but he saw in what condition was Cassian. For some odd reason, he felt that when Cassian couldn’t be in charge, she would take his place. As if he was the king and she was the queen. The thought left as quickly as it came. 

“I want you to hold him because this is going to hurt. In no circumstances you should release him.” She ordered and proceeded to look at Cassian. “You can’t flinch because your brother is looking at you.”

He nodded and just concentrated in breathing in and out. He let Jyn take over and saw how his pants and white shirt were completely soaked in his brother’s blood. He moved to his face and held it so he wouldn’t move or try to look up. When he saw the eyes of his brother, he saw how ready he was to die. 

He needed a cigarette. 

“I’m sorry, Tenoch.” Jyn said and immediately began cutting the wound open. 

Tenoch jolted at it and started squirming to be free of the pain. Cassian had to apply great force to not let his brother look up. But it all went worse when Jyn put on the glove and started searching for the bullet. Tenoch was screaming and even if the towel muffled some of it, it could be heard very clearly. 

After thirty seconds, his face started to relax and his muscles to stay put. His eyes were becoming more and more glazed, his vision lost and his eyelids getting heavy. 

“Hang on, hang on.” Jyn muttered. “Don’t you bleed out on me.”

Cassian slapped (not that hard) his brother to keep him awake but that didn’t seem to be helping. The only thing it did was make him mumble something. 

“M’sorry.” He said. “M’sorry.”

His body went limp and his eyes closed. Cassian feared the worse and started to shake his brother, desperation and horrible fear setting in. “Beto! Beto! ¡Güey, no me hagas esto!”

Jyn finally found the bullet just in time. She put next to her as she sighed. Cassian was still shaking his brother but wasn’t crying, he still had a reputation to protect and if his brother was truly dead, he would cry later. 

“He’s not dead, he just passed out from the pain and blood loss.”

As she was finishing the sentence, the paramedics came in. And everything happened too fast again, Cassian saw how they brought a stretcher and with a care he couldn’t bring his brother to have, put him on the stretcher. They were talking to Jyn and the only thing that was addressed to him was. 

“He’s going to be okay.”

Okay. 

Okay. 

What a funny word. 

Then they took him and everything was as before, only that his coat, pants and half his body was soaked in red, dried and wet blood. He stayed where he was even when Kay asked him if he was okay. He just stayed there like a statue. He had an assassination attempt and his brother had saved him. Well, it was his job, he was the Head of Security there and his boss was Cassian. 

But he could’ve just shouted and see if his brother would be shot or not. He ended up being the one taking the bullet for him. Cassian’s heart sank harder, he was twenty-seven and had a big party. His brother? He would spend his twenty-six years in a hospital bed with critical condition. He remembered the conversation that they had before. 

_“You’re not the only that lost everything. Some of us just decided to do something about it.”_

God, he was right. He had been so self-absorb that he didn’t realize his brother or his mother (not his dad, his father was an asshole) were suffering as well. In fact, Cassian remembered Tenoch had a crush on her before they started dating. Did he lie when he said he moved on? Did he love her? 

He needed a cigarette. 

Suddenly, his body started shaking and Jyn thought he was having a seizure or something like that. But his face became red and his fist clenched. He whispered something which no one could hear. 

“What?” She asked. 

Cassian looked at her and she stepped back. The look in his eyes could kill everyone in the room, his eyes—his dark eyes which she had only seen in their calm state were lit with fire. He looked furious. 

“I want them dead.” He choked with rage and spat. 

No one said anything so he continued. 

“I want them dead! I want the person responsible dead! I want him dead!” He shouted as he got up immediately. His hair was out of place which made him look even more furious that what he was before. 

He grabbed his coat and threw it at someone who barely dodged it. He looked red furious. He started to do exaggerated movements with his arms. “I want them dead! I want anyone who said hi to him dead! I want his mother dead! His father dead! If he has children I want them to know how it feels to be burnt alive! Anyone who helped that person I want them dead!”

”Cassian—” Kay started but Cassian cut him off. 

“I want anyone who wrote a letter at their name dead! I want anyone who sold him anything dead! I want his family here and I want them to know how it feels to be burnt, electrocuted and eaten alive! If he has children or a wife, I want them to starve and then drown them!”

Everyone was scared. Even Jyn. She had never seen Cassian so angry, so furious. She was afraid to even breathe, she was afraid he would kill her. 

He was red as the fire in Hell and breathed heavily. “¡Me oíste los quiero muertos! ¡A todos los pinches miembros de la familia! ¡Los quiero ver muertos!” He shouted. “I want the motherfucker to look at me in the eyes as he prays to God that he could die because his death will be so painful!”

”Go knock on every door, go and destroy houses and kill every man you find! I want everyone watching for that man! I want the DFS to make this an emergency! I want every children to cry as they see their father, uncle, grandpa dead! I want to see suffering!”

Baze then came in holding a man whom looked at Cassian and started to yelled and try to get off the arms of Baze’s men. 

“He’s the one who shot Tenoch.”

Baze, with such brute force, made the man kneel before Cassian. Indeed, the man was shaking in fear but Jyn had to give him something, he wasn’t yelling for help or trying to get out. He had accepted his fate. 

Cassian grabbed him by the hair and pulled him. “¿Eres tú, cabrón? The one that shot my brother?”

The man shaking spat on Cassian’s shoes and looked at him straight in the eye. “It was meant for you, milord. But another asshole off the earth, no?”

Jyn thought Cassian would slap him or even kill him but instead, he began laughing. No humor in the laugh, though. But he was laughing so hard like the man just said something so funny. It scared everyone in the room. Even the man. 

“What’s your name?”

The man scoffed. 

That’s when Cassian slapped him. “What’s. Your. Fucking. Name? I won’t ask again.”

”Daniel Juan Palma Loera.” He said. “You killed my cousin years ago.”

Cassian sighed as he was thinking who the Hell was the man Daniel just mentioned. He then smiled. “Yes, yes I did. Wanna know why?”

The man didn’t answer. 

“Because he was in the wrong moment at the wrong time.”

Daniel said nothing and Cassian sighed. 

“Bor Gullet.”

Baze sighed and lead the man out of the room. He was screaming by now, Jyn could only think Bor Gullet was an awful thing. She knew what was that form of torture, Bodhi had endured it and thank God he had been saved. That man, Daniel, was going to die in pure agony. 

“For every man they kill, I will give 20,000 US dollars. I want everyone dead! I want them all dead! Understood?!”

All the sicarios and even Kay, who was supposed to be the equal of Cassian, lowered their heads. “Si, patrón.” Everyone said. 

Cassian then looked at Jyn and for a fraction of a second she saw underneath the mask he was wearing was a man so afraid of what could happen to his brother but then it disappeared. She had to pretend as he wasn’t scaring her even if he was. He walked towards her and she thought he was going to slap her. But instead, he said something in a soft tone. 

“Gracias.”

Thank You. 

She nodded. “You’re welcome, Cassian.”

“Kay?” The Boss Of Bosses said. 

“Yes?”

”Escort Jyn Erso to a room in the hotel, she’s staying tonight—is that a problem?” He looked at her. 

“No.” She shook her head. 

“—and bring me a pack of cigarettes. I need one—or four.”

Kay nodded even if he didn’t like Jyn. “Yes, Cassian.”

”Solo?”

Han stepped out of the shadows. “Jefe.”

”Go and let all Hell break loose.”

Han gave a sadistic smile. “Cómo diga, jefe.”

Jyn was suddenly reminded that these people were criminals. And Cassian was the criminal of them all.

* * *

Cassian had stepped outside to smoke. He hadn’t bother to change his clothes. He looked at the sky and saw the stars that dressed the night of Guadalajara. His birthday had been shit, well, all except the part when Jyn Erso danced with him. Before that. 

“He’s going to be okay.” 

Speaking of the devil. 

He didn’t look at her. He shrugged. “Yes, he is. Because everyone’s okay after being shot.” 

“Your office is beautiful.” She walked towards him. “Maybe even more beautiful than the whole hotel.”

He shook off the ashes of his cigarette and that’s when he looked at her. Stardust. “I gave you the best room in the hotel. Even more beautiful than this piece of 10,000$”

”Cassian Andor being generous? That’s new.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry if I scared you back there—”

”Well, you scared everyone there.”

”—just know that I will never, never hurt you. Thanks to you my brother might have a fighting chance. I own you my life.”

Jyn laughed. “No need to get dramatic, sir. Tenoch is a good and strong warrior, he’ll pull through. I know.”

He inhaled and let the smoke sit for a while. Then he exhaled from his nose. “We never ended the dance, did we?”

”We were cut short.”

”Pity.”

”Well, your brother was shot.”

Cassian threw the cigarette to the street beneath him. “Are you sure he will be okay?”

Jyn saw the genuine concern in that question and she tried to give him the best answer she could give a criminal. “Yes.”

He walked inside and brought a boom box with him. He put in the floor and he clicked on the ‘play’ button. Bruce Springsteen’s Brilliant Disguise played. 

“Can I have this dance, Miss Erso?” He took his hand out. 

“Fair enough, Mister Andor.” She took his hand. 

He pulled her close to him, staining in red her dress but who cared? It was already red. He danced slowly even if the tempo of the song was faster. He never parted his eyes from hers. He thought of her beautiful green eyes that remind him of home. He had his right hand in hers and his left in her hip. He pulled her closer, his hips grazing hers. 

_I hold you in my arms  
As the band plays_

“Getting personal, Mister Andor?” Jyn said with such normal tone even if her mind was static.

He shrugged. “Is that so bad, Miss Erso?”

He pulled her apart and then brought her back.

“No, if it’s friendly.”

Her eyes showed something Cassian was beginning to get addicted to. Hope and determination. She always had that look of pure hope and determination, the one that made him feel as if she was the Boss and not him. Her eyes, her lips—God, her lips made his knees feel weak.

“You should know I don’t do anything friendly.”

She licked her lips. “¿A qué no?”

He pulled her closer but not because he wanted to fuck her. Because he needed her, he needed someone that could understand, understand his pain. He needed her to hear him out.

“I’m afraid.” His voice shook. “He might not make it.”

Jyn knew the dance was him trying to distract himself from the real elephant of the room. “Tenoch is a strong—”

”I was so mean to him.” He whispered. “We fought and he told me he tried to kill himself.”

Jyn was surprised by that.

“He was ready to die.” He sighed. “He was ready to die.”

Jyn continued the dance but tried to help him. “For you, Cassian. He was ready to die for you.”

Cassian looked at her again. She was beautiful under the starlight. But he didn’t see her exterior beauty. She looked like a gypsy outside but he saw a beautiful soul inside. 

 _Well I've tried so hard baby_  
_But_ _I_ _just_ _can't_ _see_  
What _a_ _woman_ _like_ _you_  
_Is_ _doing_ _with_ _me_

”He’s right. I’m a monster.”

Well, Jyn wasn’t going to fight him in that one. He was a monster indeed, he had just ordered to kill innocent people because his brother was shot. But she understood why he did it, don’t get her wrong, she wouldn’t done that but she understood why he did. 

“Sometimes monsters do good things.”

He looked up again. He liked the melody of the song. It made him feel something—the same thing that Jyn made him feel. He wanted her, he craved her. But could that be love? Hell no. She was just a beautiful woman who Andor might or might not like her. He didn’t want to fuck her, no he felt like she deserved better. But that didn’t mean he loved her? Who would love him? Why would someone love him?

Dancing was like a second nature to him. Back when he was innocent and his parents still loved him, they used to dance and sing. It was their way to say, I care about you. He grew up dancing, sometimes he danced like it was meant to be dance and some others he just did whatever. His father hated that but his mother? Ah, she danced with him. 

Tenoch was his father’s son. 

But Cassian was his mother’s. They shared a lot of things together, and he cared a lot about her. He loved her. She was probably the most important thing in his life before her. They had the same eyes. But his mother’s eyes were kind, generous and held a lot of unspoken pain that he never asked about. Jyn remind Cassian about him mother. She had the same beauty as her. 

 _When I look in your eyes_  
_Is_ _that_ _you_ _baby_  
_Or_ _just_ _a_ _brilliant_ _disguise_?

”What is he saying?” He whispered.

“What?” Jyn looked up.

“The man—Bruce, what is he singing about?”

”Oh.” She said. Then she waited a few seconds before answering. “He’s singing to his wife. Asking if she was truly who she said she was and if he was truly who he said he was. In a way, he’s declaring his love for her.”

Cassian spun Jyn without missing a beat. “I like the beat and the melody. I don’t know English.”

”Lo sé.”

”Can you teach me?”

Jyn looked at him, right in his eyes. He was going to cry but he didn’t want to cry. He wanted to seem brave. He wasn’t. 

“English?”

”Sí. I want to learn your language.”

”Why?”

”Because it’s important to you. You’re not Mexican or you might not consider yourself Mexican. I think that just like Spanish and Mexico is important to me, English is important to you.”

They kept dancing and she hadn’t said anything yet. It made Cassian regret those words that came out of his mouth.

All his life, Cassian was always the one who was wrong. His brother was the one that was right, most of the times. His father adored his brother even if Tenoch wasn’t so keen about it, yet he always defended the son of a bitch. Cassian always fought with his old man and it was always his mother who came in to the rescue. He loved her fiercely.

But it was him who killed her.

 _Now look at me baby_  
_Struggling_ _to_ _do_ _everything right_   _then_ _it_   _all_   _falls_ _apart_

”It’s okay if you don’t want to, I don’t want to pressure you.” He apologized. 

Jyn chuckled. “Wow, Cassian Andor apologizing. That’s new.”

He got red. No kidding, he got red and thanked the Force it was night. She made him feel like a normal man instead of being the most powerful person in whole Mexico. She made him feel something he wasn’t sure what was about. 

“No, no es eso—”

”I’ll teach you.”

He did a double take. “You will?”

”It might be useful in your line of work.” She smiled. 

Love is a complicated word. It’s a complicated feeling. Love can mean a many, many things in life. No one knew the right definition because there wasn’t one. Love was complicated because the people who loved were as well. Love was cruel because the world had thought it to be. It could be a mean lie, a cheat to say. Or it could be the generous true, a promise to one self. 

To love somebody is to give everything you have to that person. And trust that person. It’s to see the big picture and not the little. There’s different types of love. There’s the one that it’s of movies, the one a mother has with her child, the one that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth and the one that makes you want to throw everything you built for that person. 

Cassian felt neither. 

The love—maybe it wasn’t love—he felt for Jyn Erso was different. It was the love that two broken people had for each other, or at least he hoped she felt the same. It was a love that he hadn’t experience in his life, he had only heard it and maybe saw it but never experienced it. It was the love of two imperfections trying to make perfection. It was a broken love full of broken promises. 

He liked that feeling. The feeling of utter need for Jyn Erso. 

There was love at first sight, too. The one Cassian never believed in. He always thought you needed to get to know the person before loving it. You can’t love someone for their exterior or for what the people say. You love the person based in what the person gives you to love. And that’s when the biggest part of a relationship comes in. 

Trust. 

There was fake love. The one that was used and twisted to try to fit them both. A love that wasn’t meant to be, a cruel and harsh love. Trust was the base of every relationship and it was the base of every form of love. You decided to show all your flaws, all your imperfections and all your failure to this person and hope the person doesn’t reject you and you hope and hope. Because if that person doesn’t love you, who will?

But love it’s all a game. A game no one knows who’s winning until the final lap. The final turn. The one that makes it all be worth it or makes it all go to nothing. Trust was always the key. But Cassian wondered how he could trust her when he couldn’t trust himself?

 _I walk this world in wealth_  
_I_ _want to know if it's you I don't trust  
'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself_

 _“_ He’s going to be alright.”

Cassian stopped dancing even if the song continued. Jyn looked at his shoulders and saw the shook. She thought he was going to have another furious episode. But then he sobbed. That’s when she realized that he wasn’t getting angry. He was crying. 

Cassian Andor was crying. 

Love is cruel to everyone. It the one that blinds you to the reality. Love it’s a twisted game. 

“Shush.” She caressed his back as he sobbed. She had never seen him cry. Hell, he was a monster, monster don’t cry. He had ordered people’s deaths and she couldn’t feel bad for them. She felt bad for him. 

Love it’s usually right. Only that it usually chooses the wrong people. Maybe it was life or maybe it was man. Who knew? Who knows? Love it’s love and no one can change it. People wish they could—stop loving this person or start to love that person. But what would be the sense in making love controllable? The few surprises in life are the ones that cannot be controlled. And love is one of them.  

“I’m sorry.” He sobbed. “I shouldn’t be crying.”

Love doesn’t stop for anyone. Not even Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor. 

“It’s okay.” Was the only words that she could say. 

“It’s not. It’s never going to be okay.”

He wasn’t okay. His brother wasn’t okay. And he shouldn’t be feeling feelings. He was a drug kingpin who was searched in the whole world. Or at least he was in the top ten. And he couldn’t feel, he shouldn’t feel. He was trained by Áviles and the Sinaloa police to not feel because feeling was for the week. Even her, the gypsy which he never even liked told him feelings would only cause him trouble. 

He couldn’t—he shouldn’t feel. 

Then why was he crying?

_But come the wee wee hours  
Well maybe baby the gypsy lied_

”Tenoch has his issues, and maybe he doesn’t cope with them too well, but we can—you can help him.”

”How?”

”Be there for him.”

Okay, she shouldn’t be feeling for him. 

And he shouldn’t be feeling for her. 

María. 

That was his mother’s name. His father loved her name and said it was the name of Jesus’s mother. And it was a fitting name for her. She loved a lot but she also suffered in silence a lot. Cassian’s father wasn’t the easiest man to treat, although he had never laid a hand on her, there were other ways to make her suffer. 

Cassian had taken to defend her. Because he saw how she suffered in silence and he hated it. He loved to see her smile and how her eyes—the same as his, were tingling under the joy she always brought. He had told her since he was a kid that her smile and her eyes made the world a whole lot brighter and better. She always answered that one day his smile and eyes would make the world brighter too. 

He doubted it. 

He doubted his eyes which were the last thing many people saw before they died would bring people’s joy and would make the world a whole lot better. 

But maybe. 

Just maybe. 

His mother didn’t mean the world in general when she spoke to him. 

Maybe he was getting an idea—

Hell no. An idea was bad. That idea was bad. He could think that.

Maybe. 

Just maybe. 

“You have beautiful eyes.” He whispered when he regained control of his emotions. “They remind me of Sinaloa. Its mountains.”

”Well, I like your smile. It makes the whole place a bit brighter.”

And she wasn’t lying. She wanted to lie but she couldn’t. Why didn’t she? What stopped her?

Fuck him. He shouldn’t be feeling happiness when she said that. He couldn’t face himself if his theory was right. 

Maybe his mother didn’t mean the world in general. Maybe she meant the world he thought was worth living for. 

Was it too soon to say Jyn Erso might be part of said world? That she might be the reason there’s a world to begin with?

 _So when you look at me_  
_You_ _better_ _look_ _hard_ _and_ _look_ _twice_  
_Is_ _that_ _me_ _baby_  
_Or_ _just_ _a_ _brilliant_ _disguise?_

 ~~~~It was her fault really. He was going to blame it on her. She was so stunning in the starlight even with blood on her dress. He was pretty sure was looked like shit. He got close to her. _  
_

And closer. 

She didn’t step away or moved back. 

And he got closer. 

She should have pulled away before it was too late. 

But she didn’t. 

And he got closer. 

They were inches apart. 

What was he about to do?

Hell, he didn’t even know. 

Maybe he was drunk. 

He hoped he was drunk. 

But he wasn’t. 

His brother was dying and that was what he was thinking of. But then again, it was Jyn’s fault for looking so beautiful. Not only outside but inside as well. And he hasn’t known her for a lot of time. But he was sure he wasn’t going to regret meeting her. 

He was sure she would be the reason he was going to live again. 

‘ _Shit_ , _I’m_ _in_ _love_ ’, he thought but couldn’t hold a smile. She wasn’t going to be a mistake, he knew. 

He pressed his lips into hers. 

She wasn’t going to be the reason he died. 

_God have mercy on the man  
Who doubts what he's sure of_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have something with them dancing. Dunno what. 
> 
> Okay, I know the song was released in 1984 and it’s about to be 1979 there but let’s bend the rules just this once.
> 
> Thanks Tenoch for almost dying to make your stupid brother realize that.
> 
> Cry people at that foreshadowing that even hurts me.


	17. Sin Problemas, Ni Orgullo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone’s a little fucked up. 
> 
> Even you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that if there’s a lyric that could sum Tenoch is the lyric would be.  
> “Can somebody please just tie me down  
> Or somebody give me a goddamn drink.”

_You think that getting shot would be the worst part of what happened but you would be wrong, the worst thing was the aftermath. You see, when the DEA found out that I stopped a man from shooting one of their main targets, damn they were furious. Things could’ve ended the 29th, December 1978 if I didn’t help him. But I did. And I was going to be judged by the Americans. They held me responsible for the deaths of six people. I didn’t care by then._

They say that you need at least six months to recover from a gunshot. Yeah, tell that to Tenoch Andor who after three weeks was already up and ready to go. Against everyone’s better judgement. He spent his birthday in extensive and critical care and wasn’t even signed to get out of bed. But he did, he wanted to go. And also, Jyn had told him the DEA wasn’t so happy about it. Well, fuck them. 

This were the consequences of being shot in the side:

  * Everything hurt, especially his side. 
  * Kay was his replacement and wanted to know who was the DEA agent. 
  * Cassian was furious and never left his office. 
  * He was being tried for aiding a fugitive. 
  * The DEA found out the “meeting” he had six months before with his brother. 
  * For medical and life reasons, the doctors had to amputate his right leg. 
  * He now needed crutches to walk because he now had just one leg.
  * He now had to wear shorts because pants don’t cut it.



Cassian had told his brother that with some money, they could make him a prosthetic leg but Tenoch refused. He was old school when injuries were shown as trophies.

Tenoch was still adapting to his new life as someone without a leg and couldn’t longer say “walk”, he now had to say “crutched”. He limped around the hospital sometimes and the only people who had seen him with his new look was Jyn and Cassian. 

He wasn’t ashamed at all. He thought it was worth it. 

* * *

“We could be all home by now if he didn’t try and stop that.” General Draven said. “That man was going to kill one of the biggest monsters in the world, I told the DEA it was a big mistake to contact the brother of said monster, more when his alliance lays—”

”Are you just mad because he’s one of those people who believe we are the bad guys?” Luke Skywalker cut him off. 

There was a meeting held in the US embassy where the DEA and General Draven were to discuss the fate of Tenoch Andor. As usual, Draven was ready to throw anyone under the bus to get what he needed. 

He glared at the man. “He put on of our members at risk! Isn’t he the Head of Security? Why didn’t he saw it coming? How are we so sure he’s not playing _us_? He lied to federal agents when asked when was the last time he saw his brother!”

Leia decided to speak up. “General Draven, I understand your concern. But you also need to understand ours. He was _shot_. And prior to that, he was beaten badly—”

”I cannot give a fuck about that, Miss Organa. Isn’t his nickname “ _Rudo_ ”, isn’t that tough?”

“He has given the DEA valuable information about Cassian. He has made Jyn unnoticeable to his peers.” 

Draven scoffed. “That man is responsible for the deaths of six people, three weeks ago three men and three young boys were found dead and that’s because he stopped Mister Palma—who was found hang from a tree with a hole in his stomach and a dead rat—from shooting a man who has killed _hundreds_!”

Mon Mothma who was quiet, decided to give her opinion. “I understand Miss Organa about the value Tenoch Andor holds to the DEA but he has also personal connection with Cassian, they’re brothers after all. That might bias his judgement and he’s not a big fan of us.”

”He’s not the perfect soldier, we all know that.” Luke said. “He’s very tough and unpredictable at times but he’s incorruptible and he knows what’s right.”

”Oh, does he now?” Draven sneered. “Tell me something Agent Skywalker, isn’t he mentally ill? Isn’t he a heavy drinker? Didn’t he try to kill himself?”

”I think—”

”Answer my question, Skywalker.”

Luke sighed. “Mentally ill? We don’t know about that. But yes he has problems but don’t we all?”

”He's not able to procure for himself, how can he try to protect the others. I rest my case, he should be tried for endangering a foreign agent and aiding a fugitive of the law.” Draven crossed his arms. 

“No chingues, Draven. It’s not like you haven’t endangered hundred of my men in your little CIA explorations.” A new voice entered the chat. 

Everyone look at the owner of said voice. His hair was messy, his face paler and big bags under his eyes. He wore a t-shirt with green and white lines, a Rolex and brown shorts. He was supporting himself in crutches and no one could help but stare at his shorts. Where his right leg used to be, now was nothing more than the end of the shorts. Next to him was Bodhi Rook and Jyn Erso. He looked really bad but he managed to pull a smile. 

Luke looked horrified and Leia looked ashamed. As if she was the one who did that. 

“Tenoch _Andor_ , the man we were talking about.” Draven sneered. “Aren’t you suppose to be in the hospital?”

Tenoch limped to the table. “Aren’t you suppose to be in Colombia?” He answered back with the same tone as him. 

“Sergeant Andor, take a seat.” Mon Mothma offered. 

Bodhi pulled the chair from its position and Tenoch angled himself in a way he would fall in the chair. With some difficulty and a few silent groans, he was able to sit down. He looked at the people in the room. “Sorry but I still have trouble—you know, from being _shot_?”

”That’s your own fault, Tenoch Andor. If you hadn’t try to stop the shooter from killing your brother, your right leg would be touching the ground.” Draven bit back. 

“Eres un gran hijo de la chingada ¿Sabes?” Tenoch gave him a look. “What do you want out of me?”

Mon Mothma answered. “What General Draven wanted to say is that, you could’ve let the man shoot Cassian Andor and this operation would be over.”

He cleared his throat. “You want a logical explanation.”

”You—you can do it, Tenoch.” Bodhi smiled. 

The one-legged man shrugged. “There’s not a logical explanation for this.”

Leia’s face fell. “What?”

”I acted out of my heart not my head. Yes, I thought of all the possibilities that night. I thought that I should just let the man shoot my brother, it would be easier that to do all of this.” He pointed at the room. “But then I remembered the reason why I agreed to help the DEA.”

”And what was the reason, Sergeant Andor?”

”For my brother to come out alive of this. Make no mistake, he should be punished for his actions but at least be extradited, in the worst case scenario, to the US rather that be gunned down.”

Draven laughed. “You see? He even lied to us! For six months, he helped—he turned the blind eye to his brother’s operations. He is unfit for this.”

Tenoch nodded. “Agreed, Draven. I’m not the man for this job. But who else you have here? Bodhi? He’s suffering as well. Jyn? Maybe but she can’t be everything. We’re smuggling thousands of tons of marijuana a day. Each day and each night—without stopping. I’m richer than anyone in this room.”

Draven gritted his teeth. “You’re a smuggler then.”

”Ey. That’s why I’m here to say this: Fuck you, Draven. Want to put me in jail? Then go ahead but do it for being a smuggler because I quit your stupid operations and this time for real, I’m joining my brother.”

It’s dumb to say the room exploded in voices. Tenoch Andor had resigned from any position with the American law and had decided to move to the other side. He had become a defector—just like Bodhi Rook but only to the wrong side. It meant that the American law couldn’t protect, couldn’t justify his actions. If he killed or took laundered money, he was a criminal through and through. 

He would be actually the responsible of six innocent deaths. 

“Then you’re the responsible for their deaths.” Draven exclaimed. 

Tenoch agreed. “Yes, but isn’t this a war? We need to make sacrifices for wars and this one of them.”

”You’re the Merchant Of Death, Tenoch Andor, you’re just like your brother.”

The room now silent, gazed to the Sergeant who didn’t look at all faced by it. He was playing with his hands and looking at the wall. His tired eyes showed mischief and a pinch of mock. He even acted as if he didn’t know it was his turn to speak. 

“Oh, me?” He exclaimed and pointed to himself. “Sorry, sorry. I thought I couldn’t talk.”

”Don’t do that—”

”You’re angry because you cannot arrest me. You’re not in your country, you’re in mine. And you don’t have the power to arrest me, in fact, you _can’t_ arrest me. I work for the government of Mexico not the United States of Not All Of America, Assholes. And as far Mexico knows, I’m in the side of the law.”

Jyn shouldn’t had smirked like she did. But she did. She was grinning so hard because Tenoch was right, America didn’t have any kind of power—the _DEA_ didn’t have any power over Mexico. And Draven knew because of his killer look and clenched fists. 

Bodhi was hiding a smile, he owned the DEA a lot, he owned Luke a lot. But he was born and raised in La Tuna, Badiraguato. He was Mexican and his fidelity was to Mexico. Maybe not as much as Tenoch or Cassian but he was still proud of be Mexican. 

“Then I will easily make you a dangerous man to the United States. You won’t be able to fly, you won’t be able to cross the border and if you do, we will arrest you.” Draven growled. 

Tenoch gave a big smile that reminded Jyn of Han Solo. He grabbed his crutches and with difficulty, he got up. Jyn and Bodhi right by his side if he fell. He crutched to the exit and before leaving. He began whistling _When_ _Johnny_ _Comes_ _Marching_ _Home_ and didn’t stop until he stepped off the US embassy.

Even Leia smirked. Tenoch Andor had given the middle finger to the Americans without actually telling—well, only Draven but it’s Draven—them to fuck off. 

* * *

There was a meeting. 

There was a man almost about to fall asleep, another one who was smoking his fourth cigarette and the last one speaking. Baze looked bored, Cassian wasn’t bored but wasn’t energetic either and Kay was giving them the news about the organization and new enemies. 

“Okay, Kay. I don’t think this is helping no one. We all know that man, Daniel Palma came here three weeks ago to kill Cassian, he didn’t.” Baze yawned. 

“He ended up hitting Tenoch, his brother and thanks to that, some nerves and muscles were destroyed and now Tenoch is a one-legged man.” Kay said. “There was a breach that not even he saw. We need to resolve that as quick as possible.”

Cassian exhaled the smoke. “He’s right, Baze. If there’s a breach, we need to resolve it as soon as possible. Who knows who could breach it again? We cannot take any chances.”

Baze shrugged. “Escucha, Flaco. Daniel wasn’t sent by anyone. What enemies do we have? Very few. And most of them are the DEA, and Tenoch is working with them and giving us intel.”

Kay coughed. “There’s still a 32.78% of another breach if we don’t do something about it.”

Baze rolled his eyes. “How’s your mota? Let’s talk about your magic mota.”

Cassian frowned. “I do actually want to hear about that, it’s been time since we given proper speech to it.”

Kay shrugged. “Rancho Búfalo is going great. In fact, we have been supplying 87.43% of the gringos’s mota in the whole world. The seedless mota is working like a charm. Although it’s pretty hot there because you know? It’s a fucking desert.”

”How’s Krennic with the numbers?”

”While the money keeps coming, he’s not to be disturbed. He comes once every two weeks to check in and see how everything’s going.”

Baze snorted. “Even you are a slave of Krennic.”

Cassian stopped them before they could begin arguing. He took the cigarette and put it in the ashtray. “Do we need something?”

”Dameron needs three new trucks and I need a ton of potatoes sacks.”

”Y esto señores, es la razón porque yo no soy el Jefe de Jefes.”

Tony, Cassian’s bodyguard came in and whispered something to his hear. He nodded and whispered something back. Tony left and Cassian cleared his throat. “Well, señoritas, this meeting is quite over. I have another meeting and I rather not miss this one.”

Baze smiled. “Finally over!”

Kay frowned. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Jyn Erso, right?”

”Kay, the next time you mention that there’s something going on between us both, I’m going to leave you in the desert for good.”

”And I will help.” Baze offered. “Come on, Kay. Let our child live a little.”

”Fuera.” Cassian said but a playful tone betrayed his command. “Just go for God’s sake.”

Baze snorted again and Kay sighed. That was their big finale. 

Cassian shook his head like a father when his child did something worth of laughing. He organized his paperwork and a few minutes later, a man with crutches came limping in the room. 

“Lo siento, it still takes time to adapt to my new look.” He looked more happy than the last time Cassian saw him about three days ago, he looked like he was going to the beach and his eyes sparkled a bit more than before. 

Cassian still found it hard to not guilt himself since his brother lost his leg thanks to him. “There’s always the prosthetic leg.”

Tenoch shook his head. “Nonsense, I know we have all the money in the world to buy that and more but as for right now, I’m okay with this look.”

He limped to the mini-bar that held some whiskey and Mezcal. With one arm supporting the crutches and the other pouring himself a bit of both. He then took a drink before sitting at the nearest chair. 

“You should really reign your alcohol.” Cassian noted. 

Beto scoffed. “And you should stop smoking. You started at fifteen years old. The first nineteen days you had already smoked nine.”

He laughed. “Fair enough.”

”So what’s going on between you and Erso?”

Cassian stopped writing on his papers. He looked up and saw his brother drinking with a judgemental look on his face. One of a little brother wanting to know the love life of his older brother. 

“What?”

”I see the glances you given yourselves while visiting me in the hospital of the awkwardness that explodes when you’re together. You either fucked her or I don’t know.”

”Kissed her.” Cassian corrected him. “I kissed her the day you were shot.”

Tenoch rolled his eyes. “That’s nice, you get a kiss and I get a side that’s killing me and a minus leg.”

”We were dancing and I just got lost in the melody and kissed her.”

”Then?”

”¿Después qué?”

Tenoch drank again. “Come on, after you kissed, you idiot!”

”We slept together.”

Tenoch choked on his drink. 

“Not that way, Beto. We drank and passed out in the couch. The next morning we woke up and she left without saying a word and then well, we haven’t talked about it afterwards.”

”My brother, you’re in love. Completely in love.”

Cassian scoffed. “No. I’m not.”

”And I didn’t lose a leg.”

”Can you stop with the leg jokes!”

Tenoch shrugged and drank. “Look, there’s no logical explanation. You don’t kiss someone and don’t fuck her afterwards if you don’t love her. You don’t need to confess it to her but at least come to terms that you love her.”

Cassian sighed. “I haven’t been in love since—”

”I know and I also know you loved her fiercely but don’t you think it’s time to move on? She wouldn’t wanted you to mourn forever.”

”You _loved_ her, didn’t you. Even after you told me you moved on, you _kept_ loving her.”

Tenoch decided to ignore that comment. “There’s another thing I found out, the DEA is using some phone guy to listen to every call we make. I found the guy’s name and I don’t think Solo would mind and make a visit.”

But Cassian was going to press. “Tell me.”

”We got seized three hundred pounds of mota last week in the border.”

Three hundred were nothing and Tenoch knew it. 

“Tell me!”

”Yes.”

He sighed afterwards. “I _loved_ her. But she didn’t love me back, she loved _you_. Not me, never me. She saw me as a the brother of her soulmate. And it broke my heart? Yes but I saw you happy and I thought maybe I could live unhappy if it meant you were happy.”

”Tell me the truth, Tenoch—”

’ _You don’t want the truth, brother. Believe me_ ’, he thought. 

“—how much does it really hurt.”

”Un chingo, Cassian. Duele un chingo.” He drank again. “But I’m fine, alright? Don’t you worry about me.”

”Tenoch, it’s my job—”

”It _was_ your job. I’m not a kid anymore. And you’re not a cop anymore.”

Cassian shut his mouth. 

“Now, about Jyn Erso. Just follow your heart for once and don’t try anything more than what your heart tells you. Love is a complicated thing and love is pain. But if it’s the right person, then the pain is worth it.”

”Didn’t mom tell us that?”

”She even wrote a song, remember? After you left?”

”That’s a sad song, Tenoch. It was her deathbed.”

”How did it go again?” Tenoch smiled. 

“I don’t remember anymore.”

”Uh-huh.”

Cassian smiled back. He lit his fifth cigarette. “What would dad say if he sees you drinking that like it’s water and me smoking like this is air?”

Tenoch laughed even if it hurt his side a lot. “He would shoot us both. He always wanted us to be different. He didn’t want us to fall in the same temptations as others.”

”Yet here we are.”

Tenoch raised his glass. “Salud. For dad who’s probably somewhere in Culiacán and mom who’s rocking in Heaven!”

“¡Sin problemas, ni orgullo!”

Drinking and smoking seemed better than to face the bitter truth. 

* * *

In a house that seemed to be there since the Mexico-America war, a man lived. The house was very welcoming and it made you cozy. It was a big house that once had been the home of a family of four but now the big space made it seem lonelier and now only a man lived there. 

He wore a worn-out uniform that showed the rank of Coronel. It was his free day but he always was prepared for every little thing even the unplanned. He sat down in the kitchen room decorated with artistic drawings of his late wife. She loved being an artist and he decided to leave like that. He was reading the news. 

Upstairs, there was two rooms. One was bigger than the other, with a king bed and more artistic drawings or paintings. The other was locked with key but the stuff were untouched, the man decided to leave like that if someday, _they_ would return. He held on hope. 

This man had always a famous saying. “Sin problemas, ni orgullo.” Without problems or pride. He said it when someone wanted to say something—to confess something but found it hard. It usually eased the person into confessing a crime or reporting one. 

The man sat in his usual spot with a cup of coffee in his hand and the newspaper in the other. He wasn’t really paying attention to the words until one caught his attention. 

**Six innocents found death outside of Guadalajara believed to be narco-deaths. Or at least linked with them. Reports say it might’ve been order of man who claims his business are all legal and has not ties with the trafficking business. No name given by the DFS or the Guadalajara police.**

The man stopped reading and put the newspaper on the table. He took off his reading glasses and stared at the wall. His eyes showed many, many mistakes. Mistakes he did as a husband, as a cop, as a friend and as a _parent_. He looked back to the living room which could be seen in that angle. 

Hanging from the wall, was a photo. Taken maybe in the early 60s. There was the same man, younger and without regret in his eyes, a beautiful woman which oddly enough complimented the tough look of the man and there were two kids. One was older and the other younger. The older one was smiling as wide as he could and the younger had been distracted the moment they took the picture. 

That was now a ghost of the past that was always there to haunt the man. He sighed again and went back to reading alone in that huge house. But now, he was humming a song. In his worn-out uniform, there was a name in the plaque. A name that was almost erased but everyone knew who he was. And everyone knew who his sons were. Everyone knew his last name. 

**Andor.**

The song he hummed went like this. 

“ _Heal what has been hurt. Change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring_ _back what once was mine. What once was mine._ ”

Jeron has forgiven his son for what he had done. He prayed someday his son would forgive him in turn.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. I’m making Tenoch a sad, tragic character. However, I’m not killing him.  
> Sometimes living is harder than dying.
> 
> He’s the Obi-Wan of the series.  
> —————————  
> So, I’m a musician—I play the trumpet and in my school. In my high school, we’re playing the soundtrack of Rogue One. And we couldn’t get the feeling of sadness and hope of “Your Father Would Be Proud Of You.” And one dude goes stands up and says this:
> 
> “Imagine you lost everything you loved and you don’t have nothing. Then someone comes and shows you love, he cares and nurtured you. And you learn how to love, right?”
> 
> We all nodded. 
> 
> “Now imagine that person being the dude from Narcos:México hugging you while injured because you’re about to die in a huge explosion by a freaking killer planet because George Lucas didn’t think it all through.”
> 
> DEADASS I LAUGHED SO HARD.


	18. The Rebellion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1979, an organization was made. The Rebellion. They hoped to bring peace and the end of Cassian’s empire. But good and bad are relative terms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want you guys to go back to the first chapters and then read this one. There’s been some changes with Cassian, don’t you think?
> 
> Can you tell me some? Apart from Jyn.

_Reckless. Unable to follow orders. Impulsive. Has an explosive temper. Unpredictable. Don’t play well with others. Disorganized. Thinks with his heart rather than his mind. Those were many of the adjectives that my supervisors used in reports about my conduct. The reason I wasn’t fired was because I had a deep sense of justice, I was determined, I had perseverance and I was incorruptible._

_That’s why Mon Mothma came to me and asked me to help her and Leia make a new organization. It would later on be called the Resistance but back then, we named it the Rebellion._

Azul was waiting patiently in the hotel lobby. He looked at his watch multiple times and hoped Cassian would hurry up. He didn’t like to stay in a place for so long. He was trained to wait, yes, but he was also trained to never stay in a place for long. They had enemies, even if Cassian was becoming a bit too arrogant to see it, and those enemies would very much like him dead. And if he was dead, then all of them were dead. 

Cassian appeared two minutes later, wearing a beige suit with his usual pair of sunglasses. He looked at Azul and frowned. “¿Qué pasó, Azul?”

”There’s something you gotta see, Andor. Solo and Erso are on the scene and your brother might join us.”

Cassian began walking with the name _Erso_ was pronounced. He knew the orders he had gave all of his men, they couldn’t put her in any kind of danger but it didn’t mean she couldn’t _go_ to any kind of danger. “Where?”

Azul opened the door of his car and got in. “The werehouse near Pancho’s garage.”

”That’s where we store the mota sacks, isn’t it?”

They were already driving when Azul managed to glance at him. “Yes, it is.”

Cassian frown became bigger. He watched as the trees and houses became blurry with the speed. He was thinking. Why would they need to go there? Then his expression changed to one of surprise. No one was stupid to go and try to steal from him, no one had a death wish to go and try to steal from him. So, it couldn’t be that, right?

The werehouse was close to the hotel. Technically, it wasn’t a werehouse but more of an old, abandoned building that Baze brought to store the potatoes sacks with the marijuana. About thirty people worked there and there was security. No one was as dumb to go and steal it. No. No one was like that. 

Cassian was tapping his foot like crazy. He didn’t even realize it until Azul looked at him. 

“You’re okay?”

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his leg. He stopped and smiled as answer. He forgot to take his meds again. But fuck that, he grabbed his pack and lit a cigarette. The car already smelled like it and Azul wouldn’t even mind. 

They arrived to the werehouse and the first thing Cassian noticed was the three other cars and a big painting in his door. It was a symbol. One he had never seen in his life. It was painted in red. It was a half-circle with what looked like a sword in the middle. Cassian frowned and looked at Azul who said nothing. 

_Remember when Cassian planned everything? Remember when he used to say that he knew his empire was going to fall but that wasn’t the problem? That he would try to stay on top as long as he could. Yeah, that all went to Hell. My brother was not longer satisfied with knowing his empire was going to fall but at least try to stay on top as long as he could, in fact, his arrogance was getting the best of him. He now wanted to be the first empire to last years and years._

_And he was going to be more ruthless than ever to achieve that new goal._

He got out of the car and took a puff out of his cigarette. He was studying the symbol. One he had never seen, one that he felt like was going to be haunting him for the rest of his life. He exhaled the smoke and walked inside. God, he shouldn’t had. 

The building was big, because it needed to be. About thirty people worked there to stack the potatoes sacks and wait for Solo or Melshi to get them and smuggle them. But this? What Cassian saw was all of his product, all of it destroyed. The sacks were ripped apart, others were burnt. All of his mota, of all his work. He saw the thirty workers, looking down in fear. At least they hadn’t kill them. Although they were useless by now.

Someone had indeed gotten to his werehouse. But not to steal, to destroy. He then looked and saw Solo, Melshi, Tenoch and Jyn. He walked towards them. Solo had a grim expression, Tenoch was thinking and tapping his fingers in his crutches. Jyn was looking at something written in the wall.

“We came to do a shipment, Andor. And we were welcomed with this. And that’s not all, look.” Solo pointed at the wall.

Cassian dropped the cigarette.

In big red letter the next followed. 

**The Empire’s days are counted, Cassian Andor. The war is only starting.**

**-The General and Princess of the Rebellion.**

”What the hell is the _Rebellion_?” Cassian asked. “And who the Hell are the General and Princess?”

Jyn should’ve seen it coming. But she didn’t, because it was mostly Tenoch who called Leia ‘princess’. Jyn should’ve seen this coming but she didn’t because she didn’t think they were capable of doing such horror. The same kind of horror that Cassian ruled with. But Tenoch would’ve told her “ _You gotta fight fire with fire._ ”

Solo shook his head. “Beats me. Haven’t heard of anyone by that name or even if it’s a name.”

”It’s not part of any law enforcement, Andor. The DFS and the Americans aren’t involved.”

Tenoch sighed as he limped towards the paint. His brother was angry, not because of the lives lost of the product. He could care less about that, he had thousand of other warehouses just like that. He was angry because someone had just defied him, challenged the big boss. And had made its mark.  

“They took the guards by surprise. That’s the only explanation I see.” He said. 

Cassian nodded. “Kay and Baze are where?”

”Baze and Chirrut went to other werehouse to see if this happened somewhere. And Kay? He’s in Rancho Búfalo throwing a fit.”

”Chingada madre.” Cassian cursed under his breath. “How did this happen? We’re smarter than this.”

Tenoch couldn’t help but repressed a smile. 

* * *

**Few days before**

Yeah, it was official. Tenoch Andor didn’t like anything concerned with the DEA. Yet he had agreed to meet them one more time. Maybe to give them the middle finger again, or maybe to tell them Jyn Erso wasn’t in any kind of danger and they should not take her off the mission.

There he was, sitting in the same room he sat before. He had told Azul that he was going there to try and get some information out of some corrupt cops. No one thought he was a danger, come on, he was a one-legged man. Who the hell thought he was dangerous? He drank water, although he would’ve preferred some Mezcal or maybe tequila. But eh, water is fine. He was drawing on the table to pass the time.

Draven, Mon Mothma and Leia Organa showed up a few minutes later, Draven didn’t look happy at all, Mon Mothma looked blank and Leia showed a little emotion. 

“So, why are we here?” He asked. “I’m not a danger to your little operations, I’m not going and snitch.”

Draven ignored him as he grabbed a file and began reading from it. “Reckless, has an explosive temper, has being sued for excessive use of force, misbehaving conduct, disorganized, unpredictable, unable to work well with others, self-destructive tendencies, rebels against its own government, violent and thinks with his heart rather than his own mind.”

”What’s this?” Tenoch frowned.

Draven closed the file and sighed. “Those are the words used at least three times in each of your reports, Sergeant.”

Tenoch scoffed. “Eso lo sé.”

”We came here because of those traits, Sergeant Andor.” Mon Mothma spoke. “We have considered this for a time now but haven’t got anyone to lead it.”

”Are we sure we want this guy to lead it?” Draven asked. “I still think this is a bad decision.”

”You think everything’s a bad decision.” Leia contradicted. 

“Okay. Can you tell me what do you want me to lead or whatever?”

Mon Mothma smiled. “Hopeful, determined, passionate, persevere, wants do to the right thing, just, incorruptible and dangerous. Those words have been in your reports as well, Andor. You’re a big danger for your brother’s mission.”

”I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

”There was an idea, to organize a group of people that don’t respond to any law enforcement, don’t wear the American flag on their shoulders nor the Mexican one. An organization that stops Cassian Andor’s reign.” Leia explained. 

“Isn’t that the DEA?” Tenoch asked. 

“This organization would be completely clandestine. The goal of this organization is to weaken the empire until Andor has nothing but to surrender.”

”Don’t you want to kill him?”

”That’s never the best option. But sadly, we answer a government that wants that. This organization wouldn’t answer to them nor to the others. This is an organization that would follow their hearts rather than their minds.” Mon Mothma said.

“And you want _me_ to lead it?” Tenoch pointed at himself. 

“Yes, Mon Mothma believes you’re the best candidate for it. But you wouldn’t be alone, your second-in-command would be agent Leia Organa. She is the opposite of you and would balance your, recklessness.” Draven said with disgust. 

“I’m not a leader, I’ve never led something as big as that. I stayed in the position of Sergeant because of my misbehaving conduct. I barely got an assignments.” Tenoch contradicted. 

“Yet, you’re the one who was more arrest in their career, you made your brother contact you because he needed you to turn the blind eye. You are maybe one of the last cops in all Guadalajara that aren’t corrupt. And a man who cannot be bought is dangerous for the cartel.” Mon Mothma explained. 

“Who would be with me?”

”Anyone you want, anyone who can fit the guidelines.”

”And what are those?” He frowned. 

“That’s your decision to make. You would be the one in charge with Leia Organa. Your brother has its own organization, well, then you’re gonna have yours as well.”

He looked at them. Thinking. They were offering him its own organization. They were offering one chance to end the empire of his brother without killing him. He would have power, he would have what he wanted. But wasn’t power a dangerous thing? He knew a lot of people who would be more than happy to kick his brother’s ass. He was one of them. 

_If you support evil, you are evil._

He should care. He should care about the consequences of starting a war, or continuing a war. Many innocent people were going to perish. He would be one of them. Jyn wouldn’t be happy. He saw it in her eyes, she didn’t want a war. That’s why he wouldn’t tell her, nor Bodhi or Luke. 

“¿Un sargento y un agente de la DEA?” He said. “That’s one of the dumbest things I ever heard.”

”That's why you’re becoming a General. Your leg itself has been the reason you cannot longer operate with the Guadalajara police. But you can become a General.” Mon Mothma suggested.

”And Leia, what would you want to be called, princess?” He mocked Draven’a accent. 

“How about that?” She smiled. 

“The General and the Princess. Nice.” He nodded. “Now, there’s one thing before I accept this kind offer of the Americans. What would be the name of such organization?”

“What would you like it to be called?” 

He shrugged. “Beats me. I usually rebel against this kind of stuff.”

”That’s it!” Leia exclaimed. “The Rebellion. We can call it the Rebellion.”

”Alright then, I’m in.” Tenoch said. He grabbed his crutches and stood up. “God, I’m old for this kind of stuff.”

”You’re twenty-six.”

”Gracias, Princesa.” He said sarcastically. 

“Did you draw on the table?” Draven exclaimed. 

“Oh, yeah. I was bored, next time you want to meet me, do it quick.”

What he draw was a circle. It was an almost close circle but in the middle, there was what could be looked like either a tower or a sword. 

* * *

_Cassian could care less about the Rebellion back then. He thought of them as some bunch of assholes who thought they could mess with the Boss Of Bosses. He thought that this was a one time thing. The raids were of a minor scale. It was like a fly annoying a lion. His arrogance and pride made him think he had it all under control. He didn’t understand that little by little the Rebellion would weaken him until he was left with nothing._

_And it would’ve worked. If Jyn Erso didn’t get in the way. That was the beginning of the war and she had to choose a side._

“Do you think this organization, the Rebellion could be a threat?” Jyn Erso asked once Cassian was occupied. She and Tenoch were studying the message written in the wall. 

“For who? Him or the DEA?”

”Both.”

He looked at her. He sighed. “For him, yeah. This is a threat that he will let pass thanks to his newly arrogance and pride. But for the DEA? Maybe they’re happy someone is doing their dirty doing.”

She frowned. “You seem awfully alright with this attack.”

”I’m just thinking. That’s all and also, I took some of his anxiety pills.”

”And what are you thinking about?”

”Which side are you on?”

”What?”

He looked at her straight in the eye. “Which side are you on?”

”Why are you asking me that?”

He said nothing. He just studied her and then he turn the other way. He knew. He damn well knew, she was hesitating about which side she was on. His brother was playing his mind games. Tenoch began limping the other way. But Jyn had caught up with him. 

“You’re with them, aren’t you?” She whispered so Cassian couldn’t hear them. “You gave them the werehouse’s coordinates.”

”Move, Erso.” Tenoch demanded. “I’m not going to ask again.”

”You’re responsible for this, aren’t you?” She said. “And you didn’t tell me anything.”

”What I do with my own life it’s to myself only.”

”No, Tenoch. It’s mine too, I’m risking my life here as well. I deserve to know the truth of what you’re doing.” She began but he was already walking away. She was angry because they hadn’t told—he hasn’t told her anything about helping a new organization. “Fine, then go! You might as well be one of your brother’s soldiers. Doing what he tells you no matter how wrong it is.”

He stopped. He stopped in a second. He felt the building anger in his chest. He limped furiously towards her, even with one leg. How dare she tell him he was like them? She didn’t know him. She didn’t know all the pain that war was causing him. She didn’t know anything about him. She had no right to say that. She was only a _pocho_ who thought that meddling in the affairs of others was the right thing to do do. 

“What do _you_ know? We don’t all have the luxury of deciding _when_ and _where_ we want to care about something.” He was inches from her, his eyes showed anger, pain and fatigue. “Suddenly the fight is real for you? Some of us _live_ it. Some of us fight for it. This war has taken everything from me. I won’t let you take what I have left.” He whispered. 

“Is that a threat?” Jyn maintained her position. 

“It’s a promise.”

“Is everything alright here?” Cassian’s voice interrupted their argument. He was still wearing his glasses but maybe intentionally or not, he was gravitating next to Jyn as if Tenoch was a danger. 

The younger brother looked at the eyes of his older brother. He was grabbing his own crutches with such force that he knew he was going to have bruises. “Yes, there’s nothing wrong.”

”Are you okay?” Cassian asked Jyn, making Tenoch scoff. 

“Yes, we just had a little disagreement.”

”Let me tell you this Cassian, this raids won’t stop. This raids will only get more frequent if you don’t do anything about.” Tenoch didn’t look Jyn in the eyes. “Let me do something about it.”

Cassian studied his brother. “Alright. I’m trusting you to put and end to this Rebellion and those people.”

Tenoch turned before even saying goodbye. He didn’t want his brother to die but he deserved some Hell going his way. ‘ _No te defraudaré, hermano mayor. Puedes contar con eso._ ’ He thought. 

* * *

Somewhere in Tenoch’s office, there was a notepad. A yellow notepad. There were pages and pages of his horrible handwriting that he blamed his left-hand for it. But in the last page, there was something written that was was scrapped with lines, pen lines that cut through the paper. Whoever did that, was angry or at least frustrated to cut through the paper. 

Tenoch had scrapped an idea he had thought for years. But in the middle of the page, in black letters and with a more or less good handwriting, a new goal was made. 

_**Operation Rogue One.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell yes. Shit is coming down for the next eighteen years. A lot of it.


	19. Let The World Stop For While

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let me forget who I am for a moment and let me remember who I wanted to be for today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based upon my memory. From when I was a child or when I still lived in México 6 years ago. This chapter is based upon the memories of thousand vacations with my family to the beach and those moments when I felt like the world — reality — stopped for one moment. Those little moments that make my heart ache of nostalgia.

_In middle of chaos, Chirrut Îmwe asked Cassian Andor to accompany him and Baze in a road trip as a vacation. Cassian, of course, said no. However, with a lot of convincing in part of Chirrut, he said he would only for two days. And for two days, the world stopped — the cruel, bitter truth — erased. For two days, we were who we longed so badly to be._

Cassian last vacation was when he was sixteen. Afterwards, he had no motive, no reason to want to go on vacation. So, when Chirrut Îmwe asked him to accompany him and Baze for a road trip, Cassian declined politely saying he had more important things to. But the man, Chirrut, he had a way with words that Cassian longed to have — it was the way Cassian could’ve had if he had decided to use his manipulation for good — and convinced the drug kingpin of a two days vacation. 

Kay didn’t want to go on vacation, he felt as if was the most inopportune moment in all the history of time. He thought there were things that were more important than a road trip to the beach. Chirrut told him that sometimes, a break does good for the soul. Kay was going to go on with the probabilities of failure if Cassian left the office until he saw the loneliness in his eyes, Kay had been his best friend since forever — he was closer to him than Tenoch was — and he knew when his best friend needed a break. So, he only sighed. 

Tenoch was just like Cassian, his last vacation was years ago. He wasn’t so against it as his brother but he rather be somewhere else — anywhere else — than to be stuck in a car with them for hours. He still remembered one or two vacations where the world stopped and the simple things flowed. He didn’t know if a vacation with such emotion would be helpful. But, against everyone’s (by everyone it means his) judgement, he accepted Chirrut Îmwe’s invitation because he had a feeling the man knew more than he wanted to. 

Baze Malbus went where his husband was. He had no reason to not go. He trusted his husband with his life. And he thought a good vacation — even if it was of two days — was needed. Not just because Baze wanted one but because _they_ all needed one. Even that dumbass of Kay Tuesso. Nothing bad would come from a little vacation, in fact, good would be what would come out of it. The young dumbass of Flaco needed a vacation, Jyn needed one. _He_ needed one. He was going to get his vacation and he would enjoy it. He would forget for two days what was his profession and just be Baze Malbus. 

Jyn was surprised when Chirrut Îmwe came to her and asked her to be part of said road trip. She didn’t consider herself in that level of clearance to go on vacation with Baze’s husband. She thought of more suitable people for the job like Han Solo, who had the same thought as her, (I been here since forever, old man! Give _me_ a vacation!) or even Ruescott Melshi. Not her. And just like all the people going on vacation, she hadn’t had one in years. Mostly because her childhood came to an abrupt end when the cartels in her town killed her mother and took her father. 

But they all had accepted, they all said yes. To forget troubles for a while and not be anything more than a pair of misfits co-existing together. 

* * *

There they were. All luggage ready at the lobby of Hotel Americas. Han Solo and Ruescott Melshi would take the responsibility of being the leaders for two days, and Cassian had doubts they could maintain peace for just two days. 

They were going to a private beach near the west coast. It didn’t belong to no one. It was a local beach only the fishermen knew. A beach, Chirrut referred as heaven in earth. They were taking two cars. Three people per car. Cassian, Jyn and Tenoch in one and Baze, Chirrut and Kay in the other. And the only reason why Jyn was with the two brothers was that Kay refused to be sit down next to her for a whole day of trip. 

Baze was helping Kay load the luggage to the respective car. They were all dressed differently than what they used to. Baze had his cowboy hat — as if he would take the thing off — a brown leather jacket, some jeans, cowboy boots and underneath the jacket, a grey with white spots shirt. Kay, he wore a black shirt and some jeans. Simple. 

Jyn who was starting the cars was wearing a white shirt without sleeves, thanks to the freaking heat in the state of Jalisco, she wore some leggings. She had a jacket if she was cold or she just wanted to use it as a blanket. Tenoch, who couldn’t anything more than to look how the others worked while he stood hanging from his crutches wore the same thing as days before. The green with white lines shirt and some shorts. Chirrut wore sunglasses, a shirt with sleeves and some shorts. Odd combination but it suited him.

“¿Ya estamos?” A voice asked. 

Everyone looked at the owner of the voice and did a double-take. Not because they were surprised about who it was but rather how he was dressed. 

For the first time in maybe seven months, Cassian didn’t wear a suit. In fact, he was wearing a worn grey shirt, blue jeans, a pair of cargo boots and a black worn leather jacket. His hair wasn’t combed, it was messy and even the sunglasses were of poorer quality. He wore his golden chain and his wood bracelet but nothing more. He looked normal. 

They all looked normal. They didn’t look like they were enemies pretending to be friends. 

They looked like you and I. They looked like they had once longed so badly to be.

”Y-Yes.” Tenoch said. “It’s all ready — is that dad’s old jacket?”

”I stole it from him.” 

Tenoch chuckled. “God, you asshole.”

For two days, that broken relationship was going to be mend. For two days, both Cassian and Tenoch would forget they ever had a fallout and just be what they were before. Jyn would forget that Cassian had killed hundreds, she would forget that the were all enemies pretending to be friends. 

The DEA, the Guadalajara cartel and the Rebellion would not exist for two days. They would be all that they wanted to be before. 

* * *

Cassian was driving the 1977 Mercedes-Benz, Jyn was on the passanger side and Tenoch was all laid down eating chips in the back. They were listening to a cassette of _Born_ _To_ _Run_ by Bruce Springsteen. Cassian was a big fan of him, and he blasted a song everytime he could. He had heard it back in 1976 in the while going somewhere. The irony in it was that Cassian Andor, a man so nationalist and a big hater of the Americans, liked a man who would be compared to the actual American dream. 

“So.” Tenoch said while crunching the chips.

”So what?” Cassian answered. 

“It’s been forty minutes and the tension is getting to me.”

Jyn furrowed her eyebrows. “What tension?”

Tenoch shrugged. “What tension? Pues, Jyn. The tension between you and my brother.”

Cassian shook his head. “There’s no tension.”

The crunching sound of the chips and Bruce Springsteen’s music was the only sounds that filled the car. That and Tenoch snort. “And I have two legs.”

Because no one said nothing. He looked to the window. The landscape was something not a lot of people would come to appreciate but Tenoch loved it. México had a lot of fauna and flora. And even if it was pure desert, there was something to see. The few trees that painted it green, some old house that made you wonder who ever lived there, or maybe a person trying to escape reality as well. Tenoch and Cassian both loved their country. So much that they would die for it. 

But like all the good things in life, they did not appreciate it enough. Forty years after, Tenoch Andor, now sixty-six, was longing for his country. To see it again. To see the desert and the trees, the old houses in ruins that made you wonder the stories they had or the people passing through. He longed for the little towns that were out of their time, stuck in their own little moment. Back when he was twenty-six, he was still young and reckless. He didn’t think of the future and out of all the things that he lost, he had never thought he would lose his México. 

Cassian Andor died in México. He died in 1996 and he regretted many things he did. He was forty-four. And one of the many things he regretted was that he did not get the time to see his country at its full potential. That his country was becoming more and more violent and less and less safe. He knew very well he had helped create that environment, in which you couldn’t longer enjoy what God gave México. But when he was twenty-seven, the young and reckless attitude was still in his heart and soul. He did not care, he didn’t see. 

But right now, in 1979, those two were young and didn’t see more than what was in front of them.

“There’s no tension.” Cassian repeated. 

Tenoch sighed. “You kissed, okay? It’s not the end of the world.”

Jyn looked at Tenoch from the rear view. He was eating the chips, all laid down in the backseats and looked suddenly very young. She send a glare his way just like they weren’t agents trying to get close to the target.

”Why did Chirrut invite _you_?”

He shrugged. “¿Quién sabe?”

”How about we talk about other things.” Cassian suggested. 

“Sex.” 

“Tenoch, no.”

”¡Ándale, cabrón!” The little brother begged. But he looked at his brother and shut up. “Pass me a pack.” He said. 

Jyn took the pack of cigarettes that were unopened next to her and threw it and hit the one-legged man in the head. 

“Hey!” He exclaimed. 

“Sorry.” She snorted a laugh. 

Cassian looked for a second to his brother. “Don’t finish the pack, alright? And since when do you smoke?”

Tenoch made a face as he lit the cigarette. 

Jyn furrowed her eyebrows with curiosity in them. She shifted to see both men as they drove on the hot desert panorama of México. If they saw closer, they would see some metallic and rusted crosses indicating the deaths of people who never got to see the sun. 

“How did you started smoking? Both of you.”

Tenoch laughed as the air was filled with the smoke. “His story is funny as heck. Mine? Mine is mine.”

Cassian rolled his eyes in amusement. “You know I smoke since I was fifteen, right?”

”Yeah.”

”Well, at first, Kay and I controlled how many cigarettes he would smoke. We said he could smoke one cigarette a week. But that all went to Hell just two days before according it.”

Cassian barked a laugh. “Well, it’s not like you two stopped me.”

Jyn smiled as well. The song ending and a new one starting. “Why? What happened?”

”His addiction grew and by the end of the first month he had smoked at least thirteen cigarettes.” 

They all laughed. 

“Ah, dad was going to kill you.” Tenoch said before choking on his chips and coughing. He choked because he remembered. Something he shouldn’t have. 

Cassian didn’t flinch. He just grabbed the wheel a little more harder than before. “Yes, _dad_ almost killed me.” He spat the word “dad” with more spite that he wished.

He closed his eyes for a second. 

* * *

“ _It_ _was_ _not_ _my_ _fault_ , _Cassian!_ ”

” _Not_ _your_ _fault?! There were three police officers at the scene. And what did they do?! Nothing! Just like you!”_

_”Mijo, I was not there! It wasn’t my fault! It was no one’s fault!”_

_”Not your fault?! Who made me train until my bones broke?! Who hit me until I learnt that I couldn’t show emotion?! Who filled my mind with stupid promises about the corruption of this city?! Who made me a machine who follows orders?! Who made me a monster?!”_

_”You did that yourself, Cassian. You were the best of spies and hell, you could’ve become a DFS agent. You had all the qualities of one—”_

_“You trained me to kill! To be ruthless against my enemies! You trained me to never show emotion because it’s weakness! You left me to starve for days and I had to find my own food and fast! You told me that if the moment presented itself, you would deny any parentage with me!”_

_”I did that all because you needed to learn! A spy doesn’t cry, a spy doesn’t feel. A good spy follows the orders that are given to him no matter how wrong they might be. The wrong is good when it’s for the right cause!”_

_”I was eleven!”_

_”And it was your duty to follow every order you were given. And you did, until you met her! You’re going to quit the academy because she died?! You’re gonna join them because she died?! I did not raise you like that!”_

_”All I ever did was to make you proud. So tell me, dad, are proud?! Are you proud?!”_

_”Cassian—”_

_”Tell me!”_

_”¡Párate inmediatamente!”_

_”¡Dime! Are you proud of me?!”_

_”Son—”_

_”TELL ME!”_

* * *

He opened his eyes again.

The looked at the road. They were passing ghost towns, towns that once were full of life and love. Now, they were shadows of what they once were. Beautiful and tragic shadows. They were stuck in their own little world and they were in their own little time. They passed the desert, how everything was dried some would say horrible. But the desert was also stuck in its own world and it was sharing it with them. 

No. 

Today, they weren’t going to be who they were. Today, they were going to be what they wanted to be. Today, he wasn’t going to be the most wanted man in México, today he was going to be Cassian Andor, regular guy. Today, she wasn’t going to be a DEA agent tasked to kill the drug lord, today she was Jyn Erso, a normal daughter. Today, he wasn’t going to be a newly made vigilante, today he was going to be Tenoch Andor, a good little brother. 

The world had stopped for the little towns and desert. It might as well stop for them. Let it be today the day of “might’ve’s” and “if’s”. Let it be today the day where all of their dreams came true. Today, they were going to be what they wanted to be and not who they were. If the world stopped for ghost towns and the desert, then maybe México could stop for them as well. 

It was a bittersweet silence that followed. Each of them remembered who they wanted to be. Cassian, he wanted to be a musician before his father crushed that dream and trained him to be the perfect spy. Jyn, she wanted to be an engineer before the cartels killed their mother and took her father. Tenoch, he wanted to be a writer before his father and country obliged him to take the paper of a police officer. 

Those childish dreams, the hope it brought to them, the security. In the real world was a distance memory, it was a painful reminder of how they turned out to be. 

México had that power, of stopping time and reality for the ones who really needed them. Towns stuck in their own reality, places no one knew existed and where quiet and peaceful. The simplicity of things. If you looked carefully, you would find that México guarded some simplicity in its roots. Where good and evil didn’t exist, black and white were just colours, problems were left behind and the world stopped. 

Chirrut Îmwe knew a spot where simplicity laid. And he knew those poor souls needed a little bit of simplicity right now. He felt it in the Force that moved through the country. He sensed the emotions in their hearts, complicated by their own reality. They forgotten where simplicity laid all that time. 

For México is the place where complications and simplicity shared one root. 

Life was a cruel thing for them. 

Cassian Andor was haunted man by his own problems. He had the more blood of his hands, he had ordered hundreds of deaths and his empire was laid on skulls of broken men. Tenoch Andor followed him, he was a man who rightful moral compass was broken by seeing his older brother again, a man who wanted peace when he was war. Jyn Erso who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid of getting it. She knew Cassian needed to die, yet she was hesitating. 

Those three were never meant to be friends. It was just cruel to make them pretend to trust each other and plan the other’s fate in secret. The paths they chose made it impossible for them to be genuinely friends. Who they were made it impossible. 

“So, what was your question about sex again?” Cassian asked with a smile on his face. A genuine smile. 

His brother’s eyes lit up just like they used to do. And Jyn laughed like she used to do with her mother. 

“Ahora si, cabrón, we’re getting to the good part!”

”How long is this drive?” Jyn asked with the same smile on her face.

”Two days, go figure.” Cassian answered. 

Tenoch looked outside his window one more time. He saw the evening painted orange. The sun was high, no cloud in the sky, the radio was on and he felt like a kid again. 

“When are we going to eat?” He said. “I’m hungry.”

”You ate a bag of chips.”

The one-legged man shrugged with sincerity and innocence. “And?”

Cassian shook his head. “Honestly, Beto, I’m surprise you lasted this long without us.”

”Tranquilo, Cass, yo siempre pensaba en ti. Yo siempre te tuve en mi corazón.”

But today, the world was going to stop. Today was the day of “what could’ve happened.” Today, they were not who they became but who they wanted to become. México was going to give them a chance for their trouble to stop for a while. Today, they were not The Boss Of Bosses or the DEA agent, nor the General of the Rebellion. No, those people were left in the complicated city of Guadalajara. 

Today, they were Cassian Andor, a twenty-seven years old dumbass who didn’t know how to park right. Tenoch Andor, a twenty-six years old kid who was hungry and sleepy all the time and Jyn Erso, a twenty-four years old girl who was waiting for her friends to do something stupid.

Let the past burn for today and let the world stop for a while.

Let reality change for a moment and make me who I wanted to be.

The world was going to make them suffer and they would never recover from it. But for today, they were young and reckless. They were young and in love. Some with the person next to them. Others with the beautiful country that brought them today.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much of this is real thoughts I had at least once. It’s very personal to me this chapter. I dedicate it to my beloved country: México.
> 
> There’s never a day that goes by that I’m not reminded of you. 
> 
> Gracias por haberme dado la vida. Siempre te tengo en mi corazón. Eres mi nación.


	20. My Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No es este tu país porque conozcas sus linderos, ni por el idioma común, ni por los nombres de los muertos. Es este tu país porque si tuvieras que hacerlo, lo elegirías de nuevo para construir aquí todos tus sueños”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My childhood was a lot of Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Café Tacuba, Juan Gabriel, Héroes del Silencio, etc. But every single road trip, there had to be three or four songs of The Boss. My mom always sang to the lyrics and I didn’t understand them at the time but I sang to them as well. With the broken, accented English of my time.

_We learned more from a three-minute record, baby  
Than we ever learned in school. _

* * *

Cassian was still driving but he was now smoking. He was humming to the song in the radio and sometimes when they put the cassette. Jyn was looking at the window, almost laid down in her seat. Tenoch was sleeping in the backseat.

“So, why do you like Bruce Springsteen so much?” Jyn asked out of boredom. 

Cassian looked at her and shrugged. “I don’t understand the lyrics. Well, I only understand one lyric out of that song, the Born to something.” 

“Which is?”

He smiled. He rolled the window down and threw the cigarette butt. “I want to know if love is wild. I want to know if love is real.” He said with an accented English. 

“The song is good, I’ll give you that.” She admitted. “It almost serves us for this road trip.”

”Oh, I know a lot of his lyrics. I asked a friend to translate it for me, but that one is my favourite.” 

“And why is that?”

”The song gives me that young, careless vibe and the lyric makes me feel like as if I was the one searching for love.” He explained. “I like Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, Prisma, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, etc.”

”But aren’t the bad guys American?”

Cassian gave her a look. “Come on, yes, the bad guys are the Americans or at least they’re the majority but there’s some, some that are good.” He then stopped and let out a snort. “And those people, those singers do coke and stuff like that, so.” 

Tenoch moved and gave a big snore. 

“I forgot he slept like a bear.” Cassian chuckled. 

Jyn laughed quietly. “You do like to dance, don’t you?”

Cassian still had his sunglasses, giving him the usual stereotypical look of a man going on a road trip. He smiled. “Why do you say that?”

”You’re driving while moving your fingers to the beat and you’re lip-singing.” She pointed out. 

He realized that. He was actually driving with the window down, his sunglasses on, his hair moving with the wind, his fingers were tapping the wheel and he was moving his head to the beat of the song. 

“Did I ever tell you why I’m such a good dancer, Stardust?”

She shook her head. “I think not, Captain.”

He was going to talk when he did a double-take. “Captain? Where did that come from?”

”Who knows, Captain?” Jyn teased him. 

“Anyways, back in my home, my mother had this style of doing things. She danced to everything. Even if it didn’t have a beat — my father, he danced but not as much as her. And everytime she could, she would dance. She grabbed me and Beto and we danced. Sometimes like it was meant to be danced and others just for the heck of it.”

Jyn saw the nostalgic look in his eyes. He was remembering a time where he was still innocent, he was still his father’s pride and his mother was still alive. He missed that. 

“When we danced with each other, when we sang together and we pretty much did dumb stuff, it meant we care about one another. It was our way to say, that we loved each other.” He sighed happily. “I always danced with my mother and Tenoch with my father. I’m sure he’s gloomy about losing his leg. He can’t dance anymore.”

”Let’s play a game while Tenoch is sleeping.”

”Okay, Erso. Which is?”

”Tell me about what you wanted to be when you were a kid and I’ll tell you.”

Cassian almost stopped the car. He could easily tell her that he wanted to be a cop, and he was going to be a cop. He could tell her that he always wanted to be a drug kingpin. He could lie. And he was pretty sure she wouldn’t find out. But there was something in her that made him — it made him be unable to do what he usually did with everyone. 

Today was the day that all he wanted when he was a kid, he had. 

“Yo quería ser un músico. Yo quería tocar en las mejores orquestas del mundo. Quería ser un gran compositor de pues, música.”

He wanted to be a musician back when he was eight. 

“Seriously? And what instruments you played?”

”The harmonica and the trumpet. I think Beto has my harmonica and the trumpet is in Mazatlán.”

Jyn sighed. “I wanted to be an engineer. My father wanted me to help him in the fields. And I wanted to make my father proud.” 

Cassian hummed an answer. He took one hand of the wheel and grabbed one of the three pack of cigarettes. He then looked at Jyn for a moment and stopped. He put it back where it belonged and sighed. 

“Put another song.”

”Quitting smoking are we?” She smiled. 

He rolled his eyes but couldn’t be seen from his glasses. “No, I’m just — well, I don’t want to die today.”

”Let me sleep, will ya?” Tenoch grunted. “Kiss when we eat, assholes.” 

“When are we going to eat?”

Cassian looked at the sun. “Who knows? When Chirrut or Baze decided it’s time.”

”I hope we eat posole or maybe consomé de pollo.” Tenoch commented sleepy. 

“Go back to sleep, Beto.”

”Cómo usted ordene, comandante.”

* * *

_**Guadalajara** _

Ruescott Melshi had a letter in his hand, it was opened and his face was panicked. He was trying to find the dumbass of Han Solo. He had tried everywhere in the hotel, even in Cassian’s office. He was pacing around the lobby when he caught a glimpse of Solo’s jacket in the bar. 

“Solo!” He yelled. 

Han turned around and saw a panicked Melshi. “Whoa, Melshi, what’s wrong?”

Melshi walked towards Han, holding the letter in his hand. He threw it to him. “This.”

The letter was in a bad state. Seems like it fell in water and erased the name — or almost the full name of the person addressed to it. 

“Gosh, Melshi, how did this happen?”

”Just read it!”

”Okay, okay. Aplácate, por favor.”

**Mr Andor,**

**Your lab results have been received. We have news, first of all, you are not dying — or at least, not at the moment. You suffer from hypotension. Chronic hypotension to be specific. It’s not life-threatening if treated. But if not, your blood pressure might drop drastically one time and might kill you.**

**Your hypotension is because of major stress, anxiety, and insomnia. The treatment is fairly easy, you should come check with me once a month and always have something sweet with you. Whenever you feel dizzy, cold and/or nervous, you should sit or lay down and eat or drink something sweet. If the condition worsens, you should go to a doctor immediately.**

**I hope you can write back to me as soon as you can, Mr Andor.**

**Atte,**

**Dr Miranda.**

"Okay, what the hell is hypotension?” Solo asked. 

“Low blood pressure.”

”¿Y porqué me debe de importar?” 

Melshi sighed. “It’s says _Andor_!”

Solo gave back the letter to Melshi. “I got that.”

”It’s either Cassian or Tenoch. And we don’t know who.”

Solo looked at Melshi. “It’s not life-threatening, it’s in the letter.”

”But we both know that those dumbass — especially Cassian, won’t care about it. One of those two will make it a life-threatening situation.”

”Look, think of it this way, if it affects the dumbass of Tenoch, Cassian will have a mini-heart attack and he will listen to him. Because after all, they’re brothers and if it’s Cassian, there’s Jyn Erso for that, little Melshi.”

”You really believe that Cassian would listen to Jyn Erso?”

Han barked a laugh. “I think that anyone in their right set of mind would listen to Erso. Now, let them enjoy those two days in peace, Melshi. There’s nothing wrong going here.”

”I hate you.”

”I know.”

“Oh, and by the way, it’s Cassian’s.” Han said as he walked away.

”How do you know?” Melshi asked.

”Because the only one out of the two dumbasses that have insomnia is Cassian.” 

* * *

They stopped at a little town to eat. It was very, well, old. It made you feel like home even if you weren’t probably at home. They parked in front of the restaurant. Later on the day, they would check out the chapel and the plaza. 

They left their stuff in the car while they ate. Nowadays, you cannot go in road trips and stop at every town you see to learn their culture because you have a very high chance of getting robbed by drug dealers in the area or even killed. Nowadays, if you’re going to do that, you better take everything of valuable in you and hope you don’t get robbed. Now, you can still go and do a road trip but that fear of being killed overshadows your trip. And you miss the opportunity of seeing how beautiful México is. 

But back in 1979, that wasn’t the case. People could still go out and do stuff without being afraid — or not that afraid — of getting robbed. And that was all thanks to our little friend Cassian, when he became the first asshole to do organized crime, he became the boss of every plaza he visited. Meaning? He had control over every plaza and was the one who said who was killed and who lived. Crime dropped drastically because of that. But then again, he was the founding father of the violence of today. 

“What are we going to eat?” Cassian said as they walked towards the restaurant. 

Chirrut shrugged. “Who knows? But it does seems cozy.”

Tenoch limped towards it. “I just am hungry.”

They entered the restaurant and no one else was there. It wasn’t so late, it was about 1 pm. But better for them, right? They would have the whole restaurant for themselves. 

_Let me be real with you, last time I visited México was when I was forty-four. For security reasons, I had to flee my country for America. Let’s do the math shall we? It’s been twenty-three years since I been to México. And I’m pretty sure it changed a whole lot. It’s not longer mine. I wouldn’t recognize a lot of stuff. But oh! What would I not give to see it all over again. To see my family again._

_“_ Una chela, por favor.” Tenoch asked as they joined tables and sat down. 

The waiter, an indigenous woman from the region, Cleo. A name that would never escape Tenoch nor Jyn nor Cassian, came and gave them the menús. She was dressed like her people hundred of years ago. She lived there her whole life and she stayed the same until her death in 2018. 

“So, how’s all in the other car?” Jyn asked. 

Kay shrugged. “Not bad, Erso, the only bad side is I have to head Baze and Chirrut grumble about love and family.”

Cassian smiled. “I bet you don’t have any love or family, right?”

Kay stuck his tongue out. “Oh, shut up, Cassian. I’m pretty sure you’re my family.”

Baze snorted. “I’m not related with you in any way.”

Chirrut, who always seemed like he was faking being blind for how in tune he was with life, grabbed his husband’s hands. He could feel the immense place in his skin. The restaurant wasn’t only a restaurant, it was a place to dance. It was simple. Not like the things that you see nowadays. It was simple like when life was simple. 

“¡Eso no!” Cassian said. “You’re basically our father. You’re twenty-two years older than us. Either you’re our father or uncle. I still remember all the times we spent in your house.”

”They’re right.” Chirrut pointed out. 

Baze crossed his arms. “What I remember is a bunch of kids going to my ranch and steal some of my mota and sell it to others.”

Jyn looked at Cassian with a look that could only translate to _Seriously_?

“Wait, that’s not how it happened—”

”And I remember Tenoch coming over all panicked thinking he lost his brother for the fourth time in the day.”

”Hey, you guys were doing the stuff without me! I was thirteen! _He_ should’ve been the one panicking!”

”Wait.” Jyn paused. “You all were family?”

”Not exactly. But back when we were kids, the only trafficker that wouldn’t kill us if we stayed and annoyed him was Baze because Chirrut prohibited.” Kay explained. “We used to stay in his ranch and give food to the horses and we learnt agriculture there.”

Cleo came back with six beers. The men nodded and stopped their conversation to order their food. 

“Okay, who’s gonna pay?” Tenoch asked. 

For some odd reason, everyone looked at Cassian. The Godfather looked fake insulted. “Why me?!”

”Flaco, you have the most money out of us.”

“And you’re our boss.” Kay pointed out. “And it’s out of courtesy to pay for the dinner of your employees when going out.”

”Oh, now you’re my employee? That’s nice to know.” He grumbled but accepted either way. 

“I want some tacos al pastor, with some corn and whatever meat you have.” Baze said. 

“I want the consomé de pollo and also the mole with some tacos de flauta. And for dessert un flan.” Tenoch ordered. 

“I want the same as Baze.” Chirrut smiled. 

“I want unas empanadas de queso with some mole and cecinas.” Kay closed the menú. “And some tacos al pastor.”

”You’re all fucking with me.” Cassian grumbled. “I want some tamales verdes, tacos al pastor and tacos de flauta and some mole.”

”You guys are really hungry, aren’t you?”

”I want rice in my mole!” Tenoch added. 

“And you Jyn? What do you want?” Chirrut asked kindly. 

Cassian looked up with kindness in his eyes. A kindness that would go extinct soon. 

“What Cassian and Tenoch are having but in a smaller portion.”

Cleo wrote all that down and nodded. “Cómo ustedes digan. Les traigo la comida en unos minutos.”

”Also a cóctel de camarón!” Tenoch yelled. 

“Back to the story.” Cassian cleared his throat. He looked at Baze. “You cared about us, you care about us.”

”I hate you.” He said back. 

Jyn smiled. “Didn’t he mocked you back when you were a cop?”

Usually, Cassian hated being reminded of his time as a “cop”. But today, wasn’t that day. “Well, yeah, but that was because we grew up. Back when we were kids he loved us.”

”Nope, I hated you. Still do.”

Kay took a drink from his beer and sighed. “Why am I friends with all of you?”

”Because we love you.” Tenoch smiled. “Back in Culiacán you used to get bullied because you told everyone you were gonna be richer than their mom.”

”It’s true.”

”It’s not as bad as Cassian’s coke fiasco.”

Cassian got red. “Tenoch, no te pases de verga.”

”What? What happened?” Jyn asked.

“He will tell you later. But let’s just say that it wasn’t coke but chalk.”

Baze started laughing. “Mijo, you were going to get beaten by Avilés if not for Kay here.”

Cassian Andor was many things in his life. Many historians will tell you he was a very bad person who probably deserves to be in the pits of Hell forever. They will tell you it’s his fault México is as violent as today. And it’s his fault _that_ person died. He was a killer, some would tell you and he was a monster. And yes, those people would be right. He was a monster who probably deserves to be in Hell. He lost every single person he loved by the end and he was the responsible for many deaths. 

His son, however, would tell you that he was a monster who once had a heart. Who once cared. Who once loved. He would tell you that he hated his father with all his heart for the only reason that he couldn’t truly hate him. He would tell you that his father was an asshole and betrayed his closest friends for more time. But he would also tell you that he loved his family with all his heart, he cared about Kay and Baze. And he still loved his wife after the DEA told him her true identity. 

Cassian Andor wasn’t perfect. In fact, he was the opposite of perfect. And people would hate him forever for it. Others would praise him. But in 1979, he was the richest man in the whole country and he was in a freaking road trip with what he considered his family. For a few days he felt human again. He felt happy. 

Only one person survived the whole war. And let me give you a hint, it wasn’t him. 

“A toast.” Cassian cleared his throat. He stood up and grabbed his beer already half done. “For all of us stupid ass kids — except Baze, he’s old as fuck.” He raised his glass. 

Eveyone stood up as well. 

“Que nunca olvidémoos lo mucho que nos queremos entre nosotros.” He toasted. 

“For us! And for this beautiful country we call home!” Tenoch howled. 

“For many years like this.” Jyn smiled. 

They drank and sat down again. 

Cassian was seated between Kay and Jyn. Tenoch was at the right of Kay and Baze was at the right of Jyn. Chirrut was in the middle of it all. And he gave a look that Cassian understood very well. 

_For you to find love again._

Cassian looked at Jyn. The only thing that came to his mind was Elvis Presley’s _Can’t Help Falling In Love With You._ And Bruce Sprinsteen’s _Born To Run._

It was still too early to say if he was truly in love with her. Or if it was just a physical crush he had. But he thought as he drank that maybe, if he had time. He could love her fiercely. 

Keyword: Time. 

* * *

_Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider_

_But I gotta know how it feels  
I want to know if love is wild  
Babe I want to know if love is real. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story time:  
> Back in 2016, when everyone was hyped for Rogue One, I, one person who grew up watching Diego Luna movies because TV Azteca put them some weekends, was excited because he was already a big deal back in México. But now he was international. 
> 
> But with all the Jabba thing, I heard people say they liked his accent when saying Jabba. Me, a dumbass, didn’t know what they were talking about and even heard him say Jabba for two minutes. Until my friend told me “BECAUSE HES MEXICAN. YOURE MEXICAN AND YOU TWO DUMBASSES HAVE THE SAME ACCENT. Idiot.”
> 
> Fun times.


	21. A Glimpse To My Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For someone who didn’t believe in destiny, Cassian Andor wondered if he ever had an actual choice in his life. Or if he was just a puppet to be mastered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I always keep making this? Who knows. I hope you like it.

_I always wondered what people like Cassian Andor thought about life, about death. Their lives were pretty much dead ones when they joined the business. I wondered if Cassian feared death sometimes. Or he felt like he should._ _He never answered my question. Maybe he didn’t even know until his very last breath._

“How much will this meal cost me?” Cassian smiled at the waiter and glared at his family who had eaten all they could’ve eaten. 

“50.36 pesos, señor.” Cleo said. 

Back in 1978, that would be the equivalent of two usd dollars. two dollars. All of their food, was just two dollars. That was fucking cheap and it was good as hell food. 

He handed the money. He had a lot of it and he had even given her two dollars. In total, he gave her 94 pesos. That was a lot for her, for someone in a lonely and simple town. But for you? That’s barely seven dollars. 

Kay cleared his throat once she was gone. “So, what do we do now?”

”How far is the beach, Chirrut?” Tenoch asked the blind man. 

“About an two hours from here. It’s about two in the afternoon so, I say we have two hours to do what we wish.”

“What will that be?”

Chirrut shrugged. “What do we want to do?”

”I saw the plaza while we drove. It seems cozy and happy. Also I saw a chapel we could maybe visit.” Jyn suggested. 

“Like I could walk long distances.” Tenoch pointed at his crutches. “But I may try.” He sighed. 

“If you’re tired, just tell us and Baze will carry you like a lil’ baby.” Cassian joked. 

Baze grunted. “Do that and the other leg will come off.”

”Well, it’s decided then.” Cassian said. “So, Beto, don’t get tired for the sake of your other leg.”

Tenoch grumbled something that could had been “Oh, I’m not the one who has to be careful.”

* * *

The plaza was actually very nice. It was something of natural even. There was a lot of green while they walked. They saw the men or even women sitting down in the ground with one blanket extended and offering some sort of deals for toys, balloons and chicks. They saw all the kids screaming to their parents to buy them some of those. 

Chirrut and Baze were walking close to each other but not as close to give out the big secret, in that time, gays weren’t received well and most of the time, they had the Boss of Bosses to protect them but right now, he was Cassian Andor. He was next to Jyn, at a respectable distance but they weren’t talking, they were just looking at the trees, at the people, at their laughter. Well, Jyn was looking at the beauty of the plaza, Cassian was looking at the beauty of Jyn. 

Kay was in the back with Tenoch. He was just making sure the young man didn’t fall or anything. His side wound still needed some healing but Tenoch, just like Cassian, was a stubborn as hell dumbass who didn’t take care of himself. Kay? He didn’t like Tenoch too much. He always saw the brother as someone who thought too much with his feelings instead of his heart, even now, he was thinking with his heart rather than his mind. 

“I’m fine, alright?” He repeated for the fourth time. “I don’t need you to help me or see me, go and see the birds or something.”

Kay snorted. “There’s at least 23.76% chance that you are going to fall while doing this activity, Tenoch. And I know there will be a 76.23% chance Cassian will cancel the trip if that happens, I do not take risks.”

”You never do, except when it’s to help him build an empire off dead people.”

”Today is not that day, Tenoch. Today let’s enjoy this vacation. So, look at the birds or something.” He gave a little smile in the end. 

Tenoch just hummed an answer. 

“Guys!” Jyn called. “Look at that.” She pointed at something. 

It was a house, a little house compared to the houses outside the plaza. It was square and orange, with two windows with fence and a sign. The sign said. _Fortune Teller._

 _“_ Hell, you want to do fortune telling? Those people that read you the hand or the cards or whatever they do now?” Tenoch exclaimed. 

Baze grunted. “Never believed in that kind of stuff, but this fool.” He points at the blind man. “He believes well enough.”

”I do believe that, I like to believe we have a destiny or fate. But we shape it as we go on.” Jyn explained. 

“I, an intelectual, don’t believe in some divinity above us or the Force. My stats don’t show any sign that there’s something out there bigger than us.” Kay said. 

“I believe in the Force and God. Destiny? Fate? Depends on who’s life we’re talking about. If it’s mine? Then, sure why not? It’s easy to blame destiny than me.” Tenoch joked. 

“I don’t believe in destiny.” Cassian simply said. 

“But come on! It will be fun, no matter if we believe in fortune telling. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse into our future! Don’t you think that would be interesting?” Jyn looked at the men. 

“All is as the Force wills it. And if the Force says we should go to this fortune teller, then, I’m with the Force. Jyn is right, it would be interesting to see a bit of our future. And we are, in the end, the ones that choose to believe it or not.” Chirrut smiled. 

Cassian sighed. “Fine. We’ll go.”

Jyn smiled and they went inside. 

Yeah, the inside was creepy enough. 

It was creepy because it wasn’t creepy. It looked normal, it looked cozy, it looked like a normal house. The interior was white and there was a little terrace with sun touching the worn couch in the middle. The stairs led up in an U-turn.

“So, the six friends have finally arrived.” An old woman’s voice boomed.

It wa cleared that they jumped from surprise. Well, everyone except Chirrut who seemed to been expecting it. The woman was old, indeed, she had grey hair with touches of white. Her eyes were covered by giant glasses and she was smiling at them. 

“God, woman, who are you?” Kay asked trying to calm him racing heart. 

She laughed. “My name is Maz Kanata and you’re in my house, Kay Tuesso.”

Tenoch frowned. “¿Cómo sabes?”

”I know all of you, Tenoch. And I see that you’re here for fun, and that’s all good. Many tourists comes for the same reason and they always leave knowing a bit more about themselves.” She smiled. 

“I’m doubting that.” Cassian chimed. 

She looked at him. “You don’t believe.”

He shrugged. “What’s to believe? That we’re puppets and God is our master?”

She nodded. “I see then, come with me Cassian Andor, you’re my first client of today.”

He looked at her with disbelief, she knew his name. Then he shook his head, he was the most powerful man in the whole country, she _should_ know his name. That didn’t mean that she knew the future or she had supernatural powers. “Fine.” He began to follow her, he glanced at Jyn who shoot him a thumbs up. 

Maz led him upstairs, it was dark because the light of the sun didn’t touch said part of the house. The hallway was stretched and thin, he was following her to the room at the other end of said hallway, but he could see the other rooms, three in total. 

“Curious, you are, Cassian Andor.” She said. 

He wasn’t going to let her play with his mind. He was the one who knew how to manipulate and how to lie. Not her. Not her. 

“Ey.”

“Come in.” She invited him to the farthest room. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill the biggest Narco in México.” She giggled. 

He entered and frowned even more. The room was not that big but not that small, it was full of stuff he only saw in the small trailer of the gipsy that lived in Culiacán. There wasn’t a ball of glass or tarot cards. There was just a small table, and two seats. One for her and the other for him. 

“How do you know that? And where’s your stuff?”

Maz walked to the other side of the table with a smile on her face, she sat down and looked at the young man. “What? You didn’t expect this?l

He still stood his ground. “I’m just saying. How will you read my future or whatever you do without your shit?”

She chuckled. “Ah, Cassian Andor, there’s more than one way to see someone’s life.”

”How do you know that?” He repeated. 

“I don’t use the stuff others use. I have a more practical method. You see, history doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhymes once in a while. Do you wish to know how will I be able to see your future, Andor?”

”Ey.”

”Siéntate.”

He hesitated. He had a good damn reason to hesitate. He was trained to never trust anyone. To always doubt people’s intentions. To never feel. To never forgive. To always hesitate. 

He sat down slowly. Afraid of something. 

“If you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people.” Maz whispered. “And in you, I see someone that will mean the world to you.”

”Who?” He asked. 

“His name will be Jerónimo.” She smiled. 

“I don’t know anyone by that name.” He said. 

“Not yet, not yet. And believe me, he knows you too well. In fact, he will be here one day asking the same questions as you.”

He snorted. “So, you see my eyes and then all my life flashes? Nice.”

”In you, I see great pain and loss. You resent your father, you’re angry towards him and all he did to you. You made an empire to never feel, to not be victimized, to be the one in control. To be your own God.” She sighed sadly. “You live a life that has no happy ending.”

“And?”

”You have a hunger for ambition, you want to prove yourself to anyone that is willing to see. You’re killing yourself with that, don’t you see? The cup you’re choosing to fill has no bottom. Your hunger for power, for money, for respect and for love is killing you. Slow down. Because you’re living your life so fast that you’re gonna miss a lot.”

Cassian looked at her. “Escucha, I’m here because Jyn made me. I don’t believe in anything you say. What future do I have? None! That’s why I live in the present. My future I already know. I’m gonna get shot or stabbed or something and I’m probably gonna die two years from now. I don’t ask for anyone’s approval, I am not afraid of death. I’m not afraid.”

”You’re afraid of your future, you’re afraid of being forgotten.”

He flinched. 

She smiled again. “Ah, I’m not wrong, am I? You’re afraid of being forgotten, of knowing your life was for nothing. That’s why you made an empire, didn’t you? To make your name so famed that not even God itself could erase you from history.”

”All of that you get from my eyes?” He asked. 

“Like I told you, history doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme sometimes. And it will rhyme.”

”No one has done what I did. That’s why the DEA is searching me. No one can do what I did. An empire this big? No one.” He snarled. 

“You be surprised how the Force works.” She answered. 

Cassian looked at her then at the door. He could go. He had no one to stop him, and why should he believe that woman? What does she knows? Nothing. She knew nothing. 

“You’re a great manipulator, Cassian. Your father taught you well. It’s sad to see you used your skills to get what you wanted instead of helping the people.”

He glared at her. “I don’t see nothing wrong with it.”

Maz looked at his hands. They were cold, his eyes were distracted and his leg was shaking. Cassian was experiencing a headache and not only that, the coldness in his hands, the distracted look and his leg shaking was a sign of stress. He was stressed. Because he knew that she said some truth. 

“Your anxiety is causing you problems, I see.” She noted. 

He shook his head. “I been fighting this for decades now. I know how to control it.”

”By smoking your life away? Or by bottling your feelings?” She suggested softly. 

“I’m not perfect but I’m going to die soon, anyways. That’s always been the truth. All empires fall. And mine will as well. I always knew that.”

Maz Kanata sighed. She saw the pain he was in. But she also saw the hate, resentment and anger he had towards everyone in his life. He had a simple way. If he couldn’t be happy, no one should be happy. 

“You’re a monster and a killer, Cassian Andor. Tell me, how many innocents you have at your hand?”

”I do what I have to do to achieve my goals, whatever it takes.”

”You would’ve had a very happy life if you had chosen another profession, Cassian. I know it and everyone in your life knows it. Only if you would’ve understand that _her_ death wasn’t no one’s fault.”

That made Cassian flinched and back away. “What do you know about me? You’re just an old woman in need of money.”

Maz shrugged. “Tal vez. But this old woman knows that you still have time to walk away from this, to walk away from the situation that you entered.”

”Oh, because it would be so easy, right? I just tell Kay and Baze that I’m not in anymore and then I say sorry to the DEA and go and live happily ever after, right?” Cassian mocked her. 

“You’re still in time to walk away _alive_.”

So he was going to die. That was nice to know. He was going to die one of those days. Well, if he was going to die, then he was going to die fighting. 

“I’m not afraid of dying. Go ahead, kill me now and I won’t care.”

Maz knew. She knew he would be happy and he would be content and satisfied but he couldn’t longer escape the hard reality that he was a killer. He was going to lose all he gained if he didn’t stop now. 

“Dying it’s the easy part, Cassian. Living is the hard one.”

Not a reply. 

”About Jyn Erso.”

“What about her?” He frowned.

”You like her. But you don’t wanna feel again because the last time you felt the way you feel about her, it ended up with _her_ dying.”

Cassian nodded. 

“You’re afraid of feeling because you’re afraid of losing. But Cassian. There are risks to take for love. You once saw those risks as something worth of taking. Do that now as well. You are lucky to have five people who would die for you.” Maz smiled. 

He stayed quiet. And he looked at his right hand, his wedding ring still there, it had never left that place. He did not want to remplace her. She was the first person to ever love him and she was there for him. How could he move on? How could he move on without being sad? Without forgetting her? 

“She wouldn’t want you to mope around and being unhappy. She would like you to move on.” Maz explained. 

He nodded again. “Anything else?” He looked up. 

“Tenoch cares a hell of a lot about you. He got shot for you, didn’t he? He lost his leg for you. And I can assure he would sacrifice his life for you. He cares a lot. Don’t push him away because you’re afraid.”

”I am the Businessman. I’m not afraid.”

Maz chuckled. “You’re Cassian Andor right now, you have the right to be afraid.”

He stood up from the chair. This was something he wouldn’t be doing again anytime soon. He didn’t like to feel exposed to someone he didn’t even know. He was a private person who barely had time for his own feelings. He hated to feel so easily to be read.

“About that fortune telling. I have to tell you something about your future, don’t I?” She said. 

“What do you see in my future?” Cassian rolled his eyes. 

That’s when they met. Both pair of eyes met each other. It was barely for two seconds but for Maz Kanata, two seconds were enough to see a little of his future. 

“He will come here one day, when you’ll be gone. He will come here for answers about you. He will curse your name and he will hate you. But he will hate you because he loves you even when he’s not supposed to love you. But he will forgive you for all the pain you caused him. One day.”

Cassian frowned. “Who?”

He thought it was a romantic kind of love. That’s why he frowned, don’t get him wrong, he supports gays and maybe in his time, he was one of the few people that did but didn’t want any trouble with anyone. He wanted to be with Jyn. That’s all. He did not want someone to try and kill him because of something that Cassian had nothing to do with.

“Jerónimo.” 

The frown became deeper. That was the second time she had mentioned that name. A name which didn’t ring any bells at all. He doubted it would ever ring one. 

“Okay. Thanks, I guess?”

”You’re welcome, Cassian Andor. Tell Jyn Erso to come. She’s next.”

He nodded again but hesitating. He was at the door, he opened it when Maz talked. 

“Oh, and look at the pocket of your jacket. Your father left something there.”

Cassian wasn’t going to answer her anymore. She was creepy to him. He would never go back to her and whoever that Jerónimo was, he hoped that person wouldn’t drag him with him. 

* * *

Cassian walked to his groups of friends. He had a shocked look on his face, maybe because he was still processing what Maz Kanata had said. He was thinking how could she, a woman he never met, know so much about him. Know his fears and his emotions. 

“I take it went well.” Chirrut commented. 

Back to reality, Cassian shook his head. “She wants Jyn now.”

Jyn nodded and smiled at him. For an instance, Cassian thought he was back in Culiacán and younger. He smiled back, a reassuring feeling that it gave him. He needed that. 

He looked as Jyn went up the stairs until she disappeared. No one said nothing, Baze was leaning on the wall, brooding like he used to. Chirrut was sitting next to him in the couch, his head on his side. Tenoch was sitting with his eyes closed taking in the sun, his crutches next to him. Cassian sat in the middle. 

“What did she tell you?” Tenoch asked him — a whisper it was. 

Cassian shrugged. “Something about me and Jyn and dad. Also something about a man named Jerónimo, ring any bells?”

Tenoch shook his head. “No, not any. But hey, at least she sees the same as us.”

”¿Qué ven?”

”That you like her, big brother.”

”Mmh.”

Cassian then remembered what Maz had told him about the pocket of his jacket. Something that his father had left. Cassian had seen his father a few times back in Culiacán, just passing by because his job demanded to work with the police. He remembered one day he had a meeting with one of the Commanders and he left the jacket on a chair, as a sign of “fuck you” for his father. 

The pocket Maz talked about was right above the heart. Slowly, he went and reached for it. His hand didn’t touch anything at first. Then, he felt what seemed paper. He took his hand off and there was a little paper, big enough to fit in it. It was a square. Cassian opened it. 

He read the next. 

**Come home, it’s been so long. Come home, please.**

**\- Papá.**

He had forgotten who he was. So now he had to live for two days with who he wanted to be once. And in a way, that was more painful than who he truly was. He stared at the paper for two more minutes, carefully reading it again. And again. And again. He sighed and placed back on his jacket. 

“She told me that the guy, Jerónimo would hate me and that he has the same eyes as me.” 

Tenoch shrugged. “A lot of people have the same eyes as you. And a lot of people hate you. Be more specific.”

”She told me he would hate that he loves me.”

Tenoch opened his eyes. He looked at his brother. “Well, whoever that guy is, I will invite him for a drink because I hate that I care about you.” He joked. 

“I need a drink.”

”You and me both, hermano.”

Cassian smiled. “Sin problemas, ni orgullo.”

_That name. The name that Maz Kanata told Cassian Andor, would be forgotten in his memory. Just another name that wanted to kill him. For seven years that name would be forgotten. And when Cassian would meet Jerónimo, the words Maz said to him would not come to his mind. No, he was too excited and happy for that._

_Who's Jerónimo, you will ask? Simple._

_He’s Cassian’s son. But he didn’t know that back in 1979._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so much foreshadowing. So much of it.


	22. Someday Comes Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good riddance, that’s how you say it? Happy Tuesday. Hope you like this chapter. The good, and maybe sexual stuff come next chapter. I’m sorry if I’m boring you with this.

_There’s this saying “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” Cassian Andor pretty much applied it to anything he did. Although he was pretty much a hypocrite. The system he worked with, had existed before, yes. But he perfectioned, he put attention to details. Yes, he was the player in the game but he was the one who **invented** the game. Don’t be a fool, Cassian Andor was a man who, if given the chance of doing it all over again. He would. And he wouldn’t even flinch._

2,502. 

2,502 deaths. 

That’s the death count that Cassian had. That was the number of blood he had in his hands. 2,502 people, women, men and children dead. Because of him. He was great at it, he was great at killing people without making a mess. And those were the deaths that he had done with his own hands, who knows the ones he ordered or manipulated his way to kill. 

He started at the age of fifteen, he started a lot of stuff at the age of fifteen. Maybe it was the year of discovery, of finally rising against his father. Cassian had once hoped of ending the corruption that reigned in his town and country. But he quickly realized that no one was interested in changing things. So, if he end the corruption, he was going to join it. 

One man can change the whole world. One man can shake it to its foundations. He can make it bleed red and he can use it against everyone who dares defy him. One man can be a god. He can be untouchable. 

2,502 deaths. 

Cassian didn’t remember all of them. He remembered some of them. But not all of them. He could care less, if he was honest with you. He vowed before God and before his own life that he would do whatever it took to build his empire. And he meant it. Whatever it takes. If he had to kill, then so be it. If he had to cheat, then so be it. If he had to lie, then so be it. He didn’t care. You could ask him if he would do it all over again and he would say yes without flinching or hesitating. 

He knew he was a monster. And he had no problem on being one. He was a monster with unlimited power. He had México at the palm of his hand and he was just twenty-seven. He had more money that he could count and it kept coming. He had operations all over USA and México. And the good guys? What were the good guys?

They were looking down like the good dogs they were. Cassian had mastered and even perfectioned the art of bribery and corruption. He had bought a lot of big time leagues in México City. He had bought his way to the top. The good guys couldn’t do anything to his empire. Because he would know. 

He had half of the Mexican government in his pocket. 

And he was just twenty-seven years old. 

One would be satisfied with what one had achieved. But not Cassian Andor, no, he was ambitious and he wanted more. He didn’t want to be the richest man in México. He wanted to be the richest man in the world. And he would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. Even if it meant killing another 2,502 people. 

But there’s this saying.

”El valiente vive hasta que el cobarde quiere.”

The brave lives until the coward wants. 

And just USA’s luck. They’re the biggest cowards of the whole world. 

* * *

_Have you ever had the wonderful idea of making jealous and possibly pissed your local drug kingpin who could easily kill you in less than three seconds by “flirting” with the girl he likes? No? Well, I had that idea. Yeah, possibly not one of my best but I had a mission to do, I had to take him down. And if that meant using Jyn Erso as a bait, then so be it._

“I’m not paying.” Cassian stated after Kay came back from his mystical session with Maz Kanata. Out of them all, he looked the less shook, to be honest, he looked bored and Maz looked amused. 

“It’s just 43.22 pesos, Cassian Andor. I know that you have more than that.” She answered back. 

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists out of frustration and annoyance. He didn’t like Maz, he didn’t like her at all. She had no right to know all about him. 

“Did any of you brought money with you or you all just expected _me_ to pay?” He looked at his friends. 

Baze shrugged. “We expect you to pay. I mean, you are our boss — partner, after all.” 

“If you wish, hermano, _I_ could pay.” Tenoch looked at Jyn and smiled. 

Okay — pause. 

He smiled at _her_?

Tenoch, his little brother, smiled at Jyn Erso? What the hell? And why did Cassian suddenly feel more angry? He mentally shook his head. It didn’t matter. They were on a road trip and they were there to have fun. Whatever Maz said to both of them was not his business. 

“No.” He replied a little bit quicker than expected. Everyone looked at him and he sighed, hoping the sunglasses hid the small awkwardness in his eyes. 

He looked at Maz. “Fine. I’ll pay.” He sighed as he took his wallet. He had only a bill of 100 pesos. “Will you give me change?”

Maz laughed. “Everything for the Godfather.” She went to her counter, it looked more like a mini bar. But what did he knew?

She came back with 56.78 pesos. He handed her the money with hesitation. Again, he didn’t like her at all and he was — skeptical about what she could do if he touched the same stuff he did. But with that annoying smile, she gave him his change. 

He sighed. “Okay. Back to being on a road trip. Now what? What time is it?”

Kay looked at the clock hang from the wall. “4:25 pm, if we go now we’ll make it to the beach in two more hours. But you already look tired to me.”

He was tired. But that didn’t mean he was gonna postpone the road trip. He was always tired. But today he wasn’t the Businessman, no, he was Cassian Andor. He knew what he wanted — he wanted to get to the beach. 

He smiled. Trying to shake off the awful feeling he had near Maz and Tenoch trying to talk with Jyn. “I can do it, Kay. You’re talking to the man who had to deliver stuff at 1 in the morning to Mazatlán. Don’t worry, it’s still very sunny.”

”I’m just saying there’s a 21.80% chance of you falling asleep while driving.”

He scoffed. “Like Solo says. Never tell me the odds.”

”You should go back to your cars, the road is very rocky and it’s dangerous to drive in the night.” Maz commented. 

Tenoch frowned. “I heard there’s bandits as well, isn’t that dangerous?”

She shrugged. “Not for you. Those bandits work for someone called The Boss of Bosses?”

Cassian tensed. Yes, maybe one of the reasons why the road trip was so secure and safe was that Cassian’s deal with the other traffickers made him king of all the west coast of México. Every single state, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa and even Chihuahua. It was his. And the bandits were all sicarios for the traffickers that worked for _him_. And no one dared to defy the Godfather. He was untouchable. 

But he wanted to think that it was just luck. Today, he wasn’t the Businessman. Today, the world was going to stop for a while and let the might had been’s be. 

He cleared his throat to change of subject. “Andando pues, we have to get there before night.”

Everyone nodded and was leaving. The only ones who said thanks to Maz were Jyn and Chirrut. The others? Well, Kay was bored and thought that Maz was just searching for money, Baze didn’t like her too much because he already had a believer for a husband, Tenoch was still thinking about what she had told him and Cassian? He had already displayed his disagreement with everything she said. 

“Remember Cassian Andor, there’s still time.” Maz pointed out. 

He just grumbled. 

* * *

Was he a good guy? Was he the hero of the story? Of _his_ story? He would like to lie to himself and say, he was indeed the hero of his life and country. But that was a lie he couldn’t bring himself to say. It wasn’t just a lie. It was more than a lie. It was a sin. He was the villain. But he liked to be the villain, he always considered the villains to be more colourful or even more interesting than the heroes. 

And good men live to die another day. That was a fact. 

“What’s the best skill you have and how did you use it when you were little?” Jyn asked, her seatbelt undone, angled herself to see both brothers. She had a beer on her hand and she sipped once in a while. 

Cassian was smoking his third cigarette as he drove with his sunglasses on. He looked at her for a second before focusing on the road again. 

“Manipulation. That’s my best skill.” He answered. He exhaled the smoke. “When I didn’t do my homework, I always had a quick tongue and I didn’t get a lot of detention.” 

The radio then changed of song. A song that Cassian knew very well, it was a very harmonic kind of song. Only a man, his harmonica and his guitar. It was sad as hell, his father used to play it every time he fought with his mother. It was — it was ironic, now that he heard the lyrics again. 

His father had explained that it was about a poor man that was singing to his girl about how he was going to join the mob for money. Cassian had known realized the song was much more than a song. It was practically his life. 

“Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact.” Tenoch sang on a rough, almost hoarse voice. 

“But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back.” Cassian sang. He loved that lyric. 

_Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back._

He hoped it did. Gosh, he hoped it did. He liked to think that was a good kid with bad problems that wasn’t saying that to assure his friends and family. No, he was saying that to assure himself that maybe, his death wouldn’t be in vain. 

“Dime, Jyn. What was your childhood about?” He inhaled a puff. 

Jyn stopped smiling for a good two seconds. She then shook her head and drank the bottle. She sighed. 

“Ah, my mom was a lovely woman. She was a very peaceful and believing woman. She believed in God, that he shaped our destiny but we were the ingredients for such mix. From what I remember of her, she used to cook me some cookies once in a while after papá came from work.”

The smile was the same nostalgic one that Cassian had when describing the world he once lived. The one in which he danced and was just a kid. 

“Papá was a hard-working man. He used to work almost every day and at every hour. He came very late and went very early in the morning. The neighbors said he was intimidating but he was just a big old teddy bear with us. He loved my mamá a lot. And he loved me as well. He told me everything he did, he did to protect me. I was his Stardust.”

Cassian looked at Tenoch from the rear view and saw the same expression in his brother’s eyes. 

Jyn drank again. “When the sicarios came for papá, mamá didn’t want them to take him. The plan was that he would sacrifice himself for us two to be safe. But I guess that she loved him too much that a quarter way from there, she stopped gave me my necklace and told me that she loved me and went for papá. She got killed ten minutes after and they took papá.”

Cassian had thrown his cigarette out of the window. 

She sighed. “That day I lost my father and mother. To Pedro Áviles. All for a mistake. I saw my father a few years ago, he had escaped from Áviles’s camps. Sadly, it didn’t last long. Three days later, the newspaper showed the picture of my dead father on the main page. He died on a explosion. A gas leak.”

Tenoch cleared his throat. “No necesitaba eso. Yo estaba bien a gusto sin saber eso.”

Jyn shrugged. “Everything dies, doesn’t it?”

”Yes. Even us. But I wanna die when I’m seventy-nine and had a lot of kids and a nice wife.”

Cassian snorted a mocking laugh. “Oh, Beto. We both know we won’t live to the age of forty.”

”You know, Cass?” Tenoch sighed as he accommodated himself in a position that didn’t cause him pain on his side. “For a normal man, you’re not cheerful. Be cheerful.”

”Fine.” Cassian grumbled. “Let’s play a game then or you wanna take the wheel and drive?”

”Unless you want a one-legged, poor cop to drive your Mercedes Benz and probably crash it, it doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “I can drive.” She offered. 

Cassian looked at her and then took of his sunglasses. His eyes were this black coal. The one that with the right spark, could light up everything. And maybe she was the spark. 

“No, it is okay.” He said softly. And his mind went to the same place as before. If he could have time — if God was kind enough, he could learn to love her fiercely. 

Tenoch saw that and he felt a little jealous. Not because he actually liked Jyn. No, those two were a lot alike. He thought of her as sister but he felt jealous for what his brother had. He had the family, the support, the girl, the money and the power. He ached that. 

“Let’s talk about death.” Jyn said after three minutes of silence. 

“Gosh, you two are very cheerful, aren’t you? A glass half full kind of people.” Tenoch pointed out. 

“How many have you guys lost?” Jyn ignored his commented. 

“A lot.” Cassian answered. It was about 6:30 pm or something close to that. He looked at the sunset as he drove. “We lost a lot and we keep losing.”

”Yeah, me too.” 

_Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back._

“Well, how much time you guys think you have?” Tenoch asked, his face looking at the roof of the car. He was playing with the lighter he had. 

“Four years.” Cassian answered. “Or maybe ten. Let’s hope ten.”

Jyn looked thoughtful. She drank again from her beer and then she looked at the sunset. “As many as you guys combined.” That set off a couple of laughs. 

“I’ll live as much as seventy years. I believe if I say it, it will come true.”

Cassian snorted a laugh. “Let’s hope we all live to see seventy.”

They all knew that was a big fat lie. 

“Then let’s do it for them. Let’s live the rest of whatever life we have left for those who we lost, we are losing and we will lose. Let’s enjoy this road trip for them. In hope that someday, maybe, when we’re all long gone and our bones are dust, that somebody will their life for us.” Tenoch said. 

Jyn smiled. “Cheers to that.” And she drank. 

Cassian wondered, when he would be long gone, would somebody live their life for him? Would someone care for his legacy? Cassian hoped that maybe everything that died, would someday come back. Not just it gave him reassurance to where was his mother or his wife. But it gave him reassurance that maybe, when he died, if he did it right, he would be loved enough to come back a second time. 

Oh, but who would love a monster like him? A monster who didn’t really care about what made him a monster. 

In the end, the heroes live to die another day. And he wasn’t playing in being the hero of his story. He wanted to be he villain of his own story and all the other’s stories. 

2,502 deaths. 

That’s how many souls had perished under Cassian’s hands. No one — not even him — knew the total toll. 

2,502 souls. 

2,502 lives. 

2,502 friends. 

2,502 families. 

He had destroyed the lives of the people who knew those 2,502. And what to know the fucked up part of it all?

If he had to do it all over again to achieve his goal. He would’ve done it without hesitation nor fear.

2,502 deaths he didn’t feel guilty about. But someday it would all come back to him. 

Because everything that dies someday comes back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m a masochist. Everytime I try to make a happy and cheerful chapter, it goes like this. Damn.


	23. An Innovator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was the Businessman. He couldn’t escape that fame. He couldn’t. But he could at least try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter!

_Cassian Andor, he set the tone for pretty much everything on this war. He started a war that would outlive him — in fact, it still goes on today. He set the tone for how future generations of traffickers would act and how the DEA would attack. Historians don’t know how he did it, they just guess. Well, I can only think that the only reason he stayed on top for so long without falling was that he never considered himself a trafficker._

_He thought of himself as a businessman who needed to be five steps ahead of his competition. He knew his empire would fall and he had planned every scenario possible. He was an inventor. When he saw something, he didn’t see what it was but could be. When he started something, he knew how it was going to end._

Like any other innovator, Cassian Andor saw what could be. He didn’t mean to see it but he just did. He saw every detail, what was needed in the moment. He was born in a country where there were problems everywhere. He had to learn how to solve his. And when he solved his, he found out he could make it and twisted to his own will. 

Tell him how he became who we was and he would tell you that the hard work he gave the traffickers of Culiacán paid off. But that would be a stretch. It was his mind that made him who he was, he knew _when_ to strike. He knew _how_ to strike. He knew _where_ to strike. He knew _what_ to strike. And _who_ to strike. 

Cassian wasn’t built like the others traffickers. Cassian was skinny, that’s why Baze called him _Flaco_. Cassian was skinny and yes, he could throw a punch if needed but there was a big chance he would get knocked out by the person in front of him. Cassian, he wasn’t ripped or anything like that. He didn’t even go to the gym. He couldn’t rely on his physical strength in the game like Baze or Tenoch.

But that was okay with him. He didn’t need to throw punches to make his mark. In fact, he had never punched or fought his way through something. He had his _mind_. And they say the mind is the most dangerous weapon, if used correctly. And he used it, well, correctly on his terms. He could manipulate, he could cheat and he could lie. His mind always thought five steps ahead. 

The fact that he knew that his empire was going to fall was enough for him to built one that could sustain heavy losses. He thought of when it would happen, not anytime soon. But when it did, he had scenarios that he had thought about which could help him escape. But he knew that there was a big chance the first scenario he had was his own death. By his own hands or by others. 

He was always five steps ahead of everyone. He always studied people, carefully and without a sound. He always watched his surroundings for danger. He always looked for opportunities for his business. 

Because when he saw something, he did not see what it was but rather what could be. And when he started something, he knew how it was going to end. 

* * *

_Why did Cassian Andor always get uncomfortable when reminded of his past as a cop? The DEA could only guess. The historians would only guess and me? Well, I could only guess. Cassian Andor was a mystery in the eyes of the people. Not really a trafficker but never a true businessman. He did not fit in any of those categories. But if he didn’t fit there, where did he fit? Let’s say Cassian was having trouble finding his place as well._

**Last night**

Who in their right mind would ever like Director Krennic Orson? No one. No one with a brain or a mind. Cassian disliked the director with all his being. The man was arrogant, he was a prick who thought that by being associated with the narcos, he won the lottery and they would do what _he_ said. Krennic liked to remind Cassian of his place in the chain of command. Or at least, the imaginary chain of command that would make him the leader.

Krennic knew Cassian was a cop but he became a trafficker, so, he treated him like those low-life traffickers from Sinaloa. Cassian would never be a cop or something with the law in the eyes of Krennic. And the director always liked to have a chance of reminding him that.  

“El Jefe de Jefes.”

Cassian had stayed up late — as usual — to work on some paperwork and to leave Solo’s work all done for him. He had worked years for that empire, he wasn’t going to let Solo drowned it in two days. He was writing and smoking when he heard the mocking tone of someone he despised. 

He looked up and saw Krennic Orson smiling at him in the entrance with such mock and hate. 

“El Jefe de Jefes.” He repeated. “Going on vacation tomorrow, are you?”

Cassian exhaled the smoke and put the cigarette aside. “Do you need something, Director Krennic?” He said in a diplomatic tone. 

Krennic shrugged as he made his way into the office, grabbing a drink in the mini bar first. “Do _I_ need something?” He chuckled. “I think it’s you who needs something.”

Cassian frowned, his eyes following and studying every step and move the director did. Ready for action. Ready for his next move. “I’m afraid I don’t recall asking for a favor. Am I wrong, Director?”

Krennic sat on a chair on the opposite side of the room. “Sometimes people don’t know what they need — only what they want.”

Cassian’s patience was good enough, he liked to say. He was a patient man who could wait for his opportunities, but he was also a very spontaneous man who would jump at the first opportunity. But it seemed that patience ran quickly with Krennic Orson.

”And what is that I need?” He asked, letting his pen down.

“Who you’re leaving your organization with for this two days?”

“Solo y Melshi.”

”Two of the best, isn’t that right?” Krennic drank. His eyes followed the anxious or maybe annoying restless leg that Cassian moved.

“Ey.” Cassian nodded.

“And I’m sorry for what happened to your brother, such shame that he had to lose his leg by a bullet meant for you.”

Cassian’s jaw clenched and his muscles tensed. He took a deep breath before going back to reality. “Ey. But he’s a fighter. And he really doesn’t care.” He returned the same smile. 

“Still, such loss.” Krennic shook his head in fake sadness — a mock to what happened with Cassian’s security. “I hope the breach has been filled. It would be such a shame if another shooter came and this time, hit you.”

”Such loss.” The Boss agreed. “But we both know I don’t make mistakes twice.” 

“We can disagree on that.”

”¿Qué necesitas? Why the Hell are you here, Krennic?”

”El Jefe de Jefes, that’s what people been calling you. They make you — they idolize you — as if you were a innovator, as if you were the one who made this game. As if you were truly the Boss Of Bosses.” Krennic chuckled. “Such shame that we both know it’s not true.”

”Do I need to remind you where’s your place in this organization? Because I would be more than happy to tell you.”

”El Cártel de Guadalajara. That’s your organization’s name, milord. Start using it. Because the DEA knows it by heart.” 

Cassian’s frown became deeper seeing the DFS director openly mocking him. “A ver, Director Krennic, you and I are not in the same side. You and I are not even equals, not by a long shot. I’m the leader here and in your case, the boss, I make the big boy decisions and you make sure they follow them. Understood?” 

Krennic drank again. “Exactly my point, milord. We are not in the same side and we’re not equals. You may had been a cop once or at least trained to be one but you’re not on the side of the law, you’re not on my side. You might be a DFS Officer but we all know the truth. You’re just a pinche perro culero Sinaloense who thinks that by dressing differently and talking to big boys in México City makes him a new person.”

“You have three seconds to tell me why you’re here.” Cassian ordered. His voice suddenly hardened and his eyes giving that killer glare. “If not, Tony will escort you back to the lobby.”

Krennic shrugged. “I’m just here to wish you some good and nice vacations, that’s all.”

”Don’t you have a police force to lead?”

”And don’t you have a cártel to lead as well? Then why are you taking vacations?”

”Not my bidding, Director Krennic. I’m afraid Chirrut Îmwe wants me to go. And I’m afraid I cannot say no.” Cassian grumbled.

”I bet business works great here, right? You getting thirty million dollars a week great.”

That was true. After all that happened with Tenoch, Cassian had imposed his print on the business. He doubled the security, he doubled the sicarios, he doubled the amount of mota in those shipments and he gave more money to Kay and his Rancho Búfalo. Cassian had began to be there, outside, instead of staying all his time in his office. He was there for shipments, some we’re not even important, others yes. But he was now present in every single operation that ran through his organization.

He had made the job harder for Tenoch and Jyn. By being present in the operations that Tenoch and Jyn were, it made them had to withdraw some questions or stop looking somewhere. They couldn’t longer try and find things out if Cassian was there. Because it wasn’t only Cassian, the Businessman had assigned Baze to some operations and had assigned Azul as well. He was putting Martial Law on his organization.

His empire was striking back.

And that made the profits bigger, the reward much bigger. And the DEA? And the good guys? They couldn’t do much when Cassian Andor had everyone bought. And that pissed off Jyn and Leia, who wanted to catch the guy with all their heart. But no, the business had just started, he wasn’t going to fall so easily. The war was just beginning and his legacy was just forming.

He gave a smug smile at him. “Ey.”

Krennic drank from his cup. He looked st the whole office, it was way more organized than before since Jyn came sometimes and told him that he was a businessman, not a trafficker. The office looked much more expensive than the whole hotel. “Nice office.”

“Gracias.”

”I bet your father and mother would be very proud of you.” Krennic commented, putting his drink on the table. “Or at least your mother, right?”

Cassian’s smile disappeared off his face and anger was starting to build. “My mother died years ago.” He gritted.

”Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. But at least she died pleased, right?”

”Is that all, Director Krennic? You just came here to annoy the heck out of me? Because if it is, then I’m afraid your time is up. I have more things to do before I leave for two days.” Cassian tried to speak with the most diplomatic tone possible after such comment.

”I guess so.” Krennic stood up and walked to the door.

Cassian did the same. He despised the guy and it had only been ten minutes but he was already tired of his shit. He still had a lot of work to do, work that required him to be present and Krennic was just fucking with him. He held the door and gave a sign of ‘get out of my office.’

Krennic did a last comment when he was out of the door.

”Hope you and a Jyn Erso enjoy the nights alone.”

Cassian closed the door right on his nose. He hated that guy but he needed him. The whole police of Guadalajara and even the army was on Cassian’s side, doing his bidding and helping him not get any trouble at all. And that worked. That worked perfectly after what Cassian had done with his organization.

Cassian won 4.2 million dollars every day, that was approximately 30 million dollars a week. He was loaded in money, the people of Guadalajara loved him. He gave always gave 20% of his fortune to the people in need. He built houses, streets and he helped them with their business or whatever they needed. When the police failed, the people came in. They idolized him, saw him as a Saint. They thought of his as the Jesús Malverde of modern times. 

But that didn’t mean he was a Saint. He didn’t consider himself a Saint at all. But it was indeed nice when you know that if the DEA ever does a wrong move, if the police ain’t there to help you, the people of your town will. Cassian was untouchable. And he liked that. He liked to be the innovator, the Businessman, El Jefe de Jefes and the Jesús Malverde of modern times. 

He enjoyed it. But sometimes he wanted to be Cassian Andor, regular guy. 

* * *

“That’s the beach?” He asked speechless as they all got out of the car. He had to help Tenoch take his crutches out but he couldn’t help to see the beach. 

It wasn’t a beach, it was more like paradise. It was like a mini island. The beach was as wide as a dinosaur, the water of the sea touched is just like it was caressing it. The pink touch of the evening gave it a look that was so beautiful. 

“Yep.” Baze boomed. “This is the beach we’re going to spend two days in. And the hotel isn’t far, just about fifteen minutes from here.”

”What’s the name of the beach?” Tenoch asked, getting out of the car and jumping on his crutches. 

Chirrut, who was helping Kay and Jyn take the bags that were needed off the car, answered. “Scarif.”

”Can I buy it?” Cassian joked. “Chinga madre, this isn’t a beach. This looks more like a corner of heaven in earth.”

Jyn looked at him. Sincerity in his eyes. But that didn’t mean it was always present. She knew who he truly was, she knew she had to play with his feelings, to get closer to him and when the moment would be right, catch him in the act of doing something illegal. Because it was thanks to his kind that her parents were dead. It was thanks to his kind that she lost everything she cared about. 

But she just smiled. “Well, then, we should enjoy our two days in heaven on earth.”

”I don’t like sand.” Kay pointed out. 

“Then stay in the car.” Baze replied as he took his cowboy hat off. “Te va ser bien ¿A qué no?”

Cassian laughed. His family was here. His life was out there. He didn’t have any remorse. He could be a loving person, a kind and humble guy when needed but he could also be a very cruel, ruthless trafficker. Who would flinch if he was ordered to kill his own father. 

Last night, he was the cruel and ruthless man. Now, he would try to be the kind and humble one. Just for one night. Just for one day. Just because the beach was beautiful. 

“Okay, then let’s bring some beers!” He exclaimed. “We need to make this one of the best nights in our lives because I ain’t paying for a vacation like this in years.”

He went for the boom box in the trunk of the car. He then went for his mixtape on his radio. He put it on the boom box and came back. He put the boom box on the sand as he took of his shoes and his jacket and threw it on the side. The sand didn’t feel rough on his skin, it felt — it felt soft as a pillow — it wasn’t screaming hot. It was just the good amount of warm to make his feet tingle every time he took a step. 

He then pressed play on the mixtape. And Bruce Springsteen’s _Born_ _To_ _Run_ began playing on it. He laughed and jumped like he was a little kid. Baze brought the chairs to sit on, Kay brought the beers and Jyn brought the snacks. Tenoch still didn’t do anything because he was already sit on the sand. Memories of happy times flowing through his mind. 

Each one of the opened a beer and Cassian got up one more time to toast. “Well, here is to us. We’re not good people, we’re not nice people but we can at least try. We can be whoever we want today and tomorrow. So here is to us! And to this beautiful beach that I will buy one day.”

He sat down after the toast and just let the song and sundown be his only reality. He truly liked the beach. He might as well just sleep on the sand. He thought that would a great place to die. But then he stopped those thoughts as he shook his head. Not today. He wasn’t going to be that today. 

Tonight, he was Cassian Andor, regular guy. 

_Cassian Andor bought the beach a few months afterwards but never came back again. He didn’t have the time for it and somewhere along the lines he forgot he even bought the beach. He forgot he went on a two days vacations. He forgot that there was this one day that he was who he longed to be._

_He came back one last time. Just one last time. And that was in 1996 with Jyn Erso by his side. And he looked at the sunset one last time before his battle was lost._

* * *

_The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive_  
_Everybody's out on the run tonight_  
_But there's no place left to hide._

_Together Wendy we can live with the sadness_  
_I'll love you with all the madness in my soul._  

_Someday girl I don't know when_  
_We're gonna get to that place_  
_Where we really wanna go_  
_And we'll walk in the sun._

_But till then tramps like us_  
_Baby we were born to run._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I saw the new Star Wars trailer and I liked it. I mean, when I saw Lando Calrissian I was super hype and that narrative of Luke. Those words. And then Palpatine’s laugh! I really hope that this is better than the Last Jedi.  
> I just think “The Rise Of Skywalker” is a dumb name for the last one.


	24. La Tierra Prometida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s nothing more powerful than the family you choose for yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really stop with all this Bruce Springsteen’s references. Half of you might don’t even know the lyrics but I just can’t. I’m practically basing Cassian’s relationship with Jyn on a lot of songs of the Boss.  
> But it reminds me of México, of my dad and my mom.

_Cassian Andor was the Businessman. He was the one with the ideas but most of the time, his head was in the clouds. That’s when the other two came in. Baze Malbus and Kay Tuesso, his right hands. With them, he started a business with them. Cassian was the mind, but Kay and Baze were the law. His most loyal friends. Cassian saw Kay as a brother — an annoying brother and he saw Baze as a father figure._

_He valued their opinion above anyone else’s. But sometimes, arrogance and pride gets the best of us._

Cassian met Baze Malbus and Chirrut Îmwe when he was five. Baze was the same age as he was in 1979. Cassian had met them when playing outside on the streets. Baze and Chirrut were passing by when Cassian had kicked the soccer ball and hit Baze on the back. That was one of the first times he felt fear. 

Everyone knew what Baze Malbus’s job was. He was a farmer — a trafficker and a friend of Pedro Avilés. He was rich and he was intimidating. Back then, Chirrut was presented as a friend rather than his husband of two years. Baze had been born in a trafficking family so, he had worked on the field since his childhood. He knew how the business worked. 

Cassian knew his father disliked Baze a lot. His father was a honest cop who was disgusted by the traffickers of his town. And Baze disliked Cassian’s father as well because he was one of the few that tried to take down his friend Pedro. And everyone in town knew that. That’s why when a five-years-old Cassian Andor accidentally kicked Baze Malbus in back, everyone was ready for what was about to go down. 

Maybe it was because Chirrut was with him or maybe because he wasn’t such a bad guy after all that made Baze Malbus give Cassian’s soccer ball back with just a grumpy look. That was the first of many meetings with him. 

Cassian met Baze Malbus multiple times afterwards. Wether he planned them or not. After seeing that the big trafficker wasn’t going to hurt him, Cassian took advantage of that. He began playing on his farm — with his friend Kay Tuesso and sometimes with his brother Tenoch. Cassian thought he was so smart because they snuck to his immense field without Baze knowing when in reality, Baze always knew. He just let them play. 

When his father threw him on the street as part of his training, Cassian went to Baze’s house. Chirrut was more than happy to help the poor kid. Cassian spent more time there than his actual house. Chirrut would bring him food — sometimes he would make chilaquiles. And Baze would grumble about how he was literally raising the kid. But never did something about it. 

Baze never talked to Cassian or he talked very few times with him. He was a man that never liked the talk — he valued silence over all — and Cassian understood that. He valued the times where he would be staying over because his father had thrown him again, he valued when he was in the porch, just watching the employees work and Baze in his chair reading the newspaper. 

Kay came with him multiple times as well. Baze thought that Cassian was a well-educated kid because he rarely spoke. He knew how he valued his silence and respected that. Kay was the opposite. The kid wouldn’t shut up. He would be spitting facts here and there and the only way to shut him up was by giving him something to do. But he was very reliable in multiple occasions. 

When Cassian and Kay turned fifteen, and Cassian had decided to become a trafficker, Baze was there for the two teenagers. But they were growing up. And he had a reputation to protect. So, without making too much of a noise or making it public, he helped them. How? Well, Cassian thought he was so smart taking a part of Baze’s mota and sell it on his own when in reality, Baze had ordered his employees to leave that section alone. 

But Baze was still an old school trafficker and he was still best friends with Avilés and when Cassian began talking about building an empire and becoming the richest trafficker in the world, Baze couldn’t help but snort at that dumb idea. He thought the kid was too high on his own clouds. He wasn’t being realistic. Never had been done an empire of plazas working together. And Baze doubted Cassian would make it big. 

Cassian took it as a challenge. Baze was one of the few people that ever helped him. And deep in his heart, he wanted to make him proud. Cassian’s father was an asshole to him — and for the young man, he was dead to him. Baze wasn’t. Baze was like his father and Cassian wanted to make him proud. That’s why he began rising from zero to a hundred. Beginning to make his own little plaza. Began using his mind to accomplish his goal. 

When his wife died, when he was devastated, he shut off contact with everyone. His father, his mother, his brother, Kay, Chirrut and Baze. He stopped everything for a few months. The grief to big to bear. He stopped selling, he started to see it all upside down. And when his mother died? Well, that’s something that left him even more devastated. 

Cassian lost all of his family. His father hated him and his brother moved to Guadalajara. He had killed his mother and was the reason his wife died. He was a sinner. And he felt bad for it. That’s when Baze came in, shook him and told him.

“ _Flaco_ , stop being such a depressing asshole. People die, it’s nature and it’s going to be very present in your life if you choose this life. So, either go and cry on the streets or try something.”

Flaco means skinny in Spanish. That’s what came on Baze’s mind when he first met Cassian. The five-years-old was skinnier than the rest but he used his mind. Used his brains to get out of sticky situations. But that didn’t mean he had a chance on the trafficking business. 

Baze didn’t see Cassian for almost ten years after that. He stopped coming over and he began thinking — planning his empire. He began trafficking more than just contraband, he began trafficking weed, even some cigarettes and alcohol. He stopped coming to Avilés’s meetings and he began to see and use his mind. He saw Baze sometimes but didn’t even said hi. Cassian had become a man — a Businessman. 

That day, when he crashed Pedro Avilés’s meeting was the first time in maybe nine years that Baze and Cassian knowledge each other’s presence. He saw the frightened eight-years-old begging to stay because his father kicked him out, he saw the seventeen-years-old broken-hearted young man with no goals turn into this twenty-six years old _man_ who knew what he wanted and he didn’t care how he got it.

He was making his empire a reality and Baze was there to witness it. He and the dumbass of Kay who hadn’t changed in all those years. He still said stupid facts in the most inopportune moments. But now, those stupid facts were going to help them make an empire. 

* * *

Now, look where he was, in a beach with more money that he could count. All because this little five-years-old hit him in the back with a soccer ball. He saw Cassian talking as he drank with Kay and Jyn. This kid that he saw grow up, this kid he tried to deny his existence for nine years. His partner. His friend. 

“You’re proud of him.” Chirrut commented as he saw his husband look at Cassian Andor with such longing. “You’re a little proud of who he has become.”

Baze looked down his shoulder and snorted. “Me? Proud of this — tarado? You gotta be kidding me.”

”You helped raise him, you know. He’s been with us since he was five.”

”All I remember is telling _you_ not to invite him every single day to our house. That we were _not_ his parents.”

”He’s grown on you. You cannot help but to feel a little bit proud to see him as a _man_ , all full of success and pride. Am I wrong?”

Baze rolled his eyes. “He’s hardly a man.”

Chirrut chuckled. “Have we forgotten Baze Malbus used to tell his workers not to in a specific sector of the field because those two.” He looked at Cassian and Kay. “Were ‘ _stealing_ ’ your mota?” 

“I don’t recall that, maybe your brain is starting to fail, you fool.”

”When my brain fails, my faith comes and saves me.”

Baze snorted. “You mean when _I_ come to save you.” 

“Just tell him how you feel, he has done almost everything for you. He took it as a personal challenge to prove you wrong. He has worked hard for what he has now.”

”The kid is almost a bigger fool than you. He thought that he would make an empire out of hateful plazas with people that do not know how to forgive.”

”But he did.”

Baze looked at Chirrut. “You think it will last?”

His husband sighed. “I cannot predict the future. But I know that nothing lasts forever.”

Baze agreed with him for once. “True. And then what? ¿Huimos?”

”Where? The promised land?” Chirrut joked. 

“Doesn’t sound so bad to me.” Baze muttered. 

_Baze and Chirrut died. No one knows exactly when. But their deaths took an immense toll in Cassian’s life. Some say they died in 1995, others say 1996. I personally, think they died in 1996. Cassian would’ve died in 1995 with them if that was the case. He loved them like they were his parents._

“Who here knows English? Apart Jyn, of course.” Cassian asked, his voice a little slurred but not enough. 

Tenoch raised his hand. “A little bit. I work for the police and I am undercover with the DEA, the gringos don’t know Spanish so I’m forced to speak English.”

”We should do like Che Guevara.” Cassian commented. “But not in a communist way. We need the capitalist system for the business. I mean, we should fight for some of our land back.”

Kay laughed at that. “Like that communist commander who got killed in Bolivia?”

The Businessman shrugged. “I ain’t gonna die in Bolivia. Créeme. I’m going to die here, in my country. In my México.”

”I’ll die somewhere in the world.” Tenoch sighed. “I just hope that wherever that somewhere is, it is not the United States. That would be a betrayal to my country.”

Jyn gave a fake laugh. 

“Well, I forgot you’re American.” Tenoch smiled. “But come on, mija, we all know that you have the heart of a Mexican.”

”I spend about two months here and I’m already Mexican. Wow. You guys surprise me.”

”I don’t consider you Mexican.” Kay states rather frosty. But it was known by now it was his way to talk. 

Then someone stood up. It was Baze, he looked rather uncomfortable. Like a kid who was forced to say hi to an unknown uncle because it was the right thing to do. He held a beer in his hand and he looked skeptical at Chirrut. But the blind man just gave him a nod. Baze cleared his throat to attract the attention of the three young men. 

“I really don’t wanna do this but Chirrut is forcing me to do it.” He warned before closing his eyes and then opening them with a sigh. 

Cassian was looking with attention to the older man. He grabbed a cigarette and his lighter. He lit it and took a drag as Baze started to talk. 

“The first time I met Cassian Andor was when me and Chirrut were walking down some nameless street and I felt a soccer ball hit me in the back. When I turn around, I see this five-years-old kid, looking up with fear in his eyes. Because you must know, I was never a friend to his father, someone who had swore to bring me to justice and had made my life a little difficult. Everyone knew that. We hated each other. And here was his kid who just hit me with a soccer ball.”

Jyn looked at Cassian who was chuckling at the memory of such day. In fact, Baze was the same age as Cassian was now when they met. Even if Cassian wanted to forget such day, he wouldn’t. Because he couldn’t. 

“Estaba raro. I don’t know what was going through his little mind. Maybe he had heard awful things about me at home. And I wouldn’t be surprised. Because that look in his eyes was as if he had hit Death on the back. And maybe it was because Chirrut was with me at the time or maybe it was because I’m not a really bad guy that with all the self control I could gather, I grabbed the ball and gave it back to Cassian. Back then, I was just like he is now. A reckless young man who thought he had the world at his hands. And I thought back then that I had been such a héroe for not breaking his ball.”

”I lost it a few months afterwards.” Cassian exclaimed with a smile on his face. He took another drag at his cigarette. “But thanks for the thought.”

Everyone laughed. Even Tenoch who felt a little jealous of his brother. But he remembered that his brother would fall and he wouldn’t. 

“I thought that would be the last time I would see Cassian. Clearly, I was wrong because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here with you guys talking in front of the same person who years ago, thought I would kill him.” Baze smiled. "And I thought he would never bother me again, but then again, I was wrong because he started coming over almost every week. Sometimes with his best friend Kay and others with his little brother whom was scared of me."

"Don't blame me for being scared of you, Baze Malbus, you're pretty scary for a four-years-old or seven-years-old kid." Tenoch said as he drank.

"I'm a man of very few words, in fact, this is the longest I ever spoke. But it needs to be said. Chirrut here took it as a objective or I truly don't know to help Cassian in everything we could, even if I wasn't so happy about, we were kind of raising the kid. But now I secretly thank him for doing it because like that I was able to see grow this five-years-old kid who was afraid of me, or this eight-years-old kid frightened and alone in the night, or this seventeen-years-old boy who lost all of his family."

Cassian frowned a little when he spoke, but he just took another drag out of his cigarette and sighed.

Baze cleared his throat. "At the age of fifteen, Cassian told me he was going to be the first to build an empire out of the plazas that hated each other, I told him he was a very dumb kid for thinking such thing, he told me he was going to prove me wrong." He smiled. "Well, mijo, you proved me wrong. And when I see you, I don't see that five-years-old kid or the eight-years-old with such frightened look, or even the seventeen-years-old sad teenager. What I see is this _man_ , this twenty-seven businessman with such immense success at life and I cannot but feel, well, well, proud of who you are."

He raised a glass. "To Cassian Andor and his ever-lasting empire. Let's hope it never falls."

_No empire can last forever, every single one of them fell. Look at all the famous drug kingpins of the 80s. The Cali Cartel, The Medellin Cartel, the Guadalajara Cartel, etc. They were all very famous and very powerful, but they fell in the end. Cassian knew this, that's why he was trying to enjoy the most of his short life. He thought he would one day cross the Promised Land. But he never did._

* * *

  _Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man_  
_And I believe in a promised land._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassian’s relationship with his father is loosely based on mine with my father. Well, he did not throw me on the streets when I was eight but he is — well, a complicated man with so many complicated feelings. That’s why Bruce Springsteen resumed my feelings towards him.  
> “My dad was my hero and my greatest foe.”
> 
> IM SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED!!


	25. Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the law fails to serve us, we must serve as the law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I haven’t updated. I lost my phone. I bought a new one now. Yay. And also, I procrastinated too much. Like wow, it’s June already.

**_Maybe if I wasn’t so keen on winning, I’ve wouldn’t lost all I had._ **

* * *

_Tenoch sat in the weird chair of Maz, he was looking around, observing and mentally noting what was useful and what was not. He looked unamused. He looked tired. But there was this spark, one that he had not let it be seen, on his eyes. One that brought the sentiment of hate._

_Maz didn’t smile at him when he grinned. She sat down and they spent a few minutes like that. Neither one of them saying something. Tension building up, there was something both knew, something that he had to either deny or accept._

_Finally, she looked up and saw his eyes. He had the same color of eyes of his brother but there was something new on him, something he knew well. Hate._

_“You’re jealous.”_

_“Yes.”_

_”Of your brother?”_

_He shrugged. “What can I say? The lies I told myself every day and I continue to tell them?”_

_”You’re a good actor, I’ll give you that.” She admitted._

_“It’s more complicated than that.”_

_”I can see.”_

_The smile that Tenoch wore suddenly fell and left more like a tired, moody and tired but hateful man instead. He looked scary in a way, like a man too arrogant for his own taste._

_“You don’t scare me.”_

_”But you’re afraid.”_

_Tenoch scoffed and he rolled his eyes. “Of war?”_

_”Of peace.” She said. “You and your brother are a lot alike. Both cannot live in a world with peace, you need war. You need hate, although you preach love and peace.”_

_”I kind of have to.”_

_“No, no tienes que hacerlo.”_

_Tenoch knew better, he truly did. He knew how not to get himself manipulated or used. He knew how to not be the fool of the conversation but he couldn’t help to hate something that Maz had in her eyes, in her glasses, in her soul and heart._

_“What is it that you wish to hear?”_

_”You’re a son of a bitch.”_

_Tenoch gave a fake gasp, one that was very dramatic. “Aren’t you here to tell me my future? Not whom am I son of?” He smiled again but it was a nasty smile._

_”They have a total different image of who you truly are.” Maz ignored his sarcastic remark._

_“I’ve learnt how to show who they want. Who they need. They have very simple ideas and I just have to put a very simple mask.” He shrugged again._

_“You have risked a lot. Your right leg to begin with.”_

_Nothing was going through Tenoch’s mind at the time. Nothing too special. Just the same old. To stop his brother and stop the DEA. To win in every game that they played._

_He kept the silence a few seconds until he looked up and whispered. “I have good intentions, truly.”_

_Maz shook her head. “I know you have good intentions, I’m just afraid you don’t have the right methods.”_

_Tenoch didn’t care about the “right” methods she was talking about. He was going and would keep going to use, manipulate people for the right reasons and with the best intentions. Right and wrong were relative terms in the game they were all playing._

_“Meh, no me preocupa tanto.”_

_”They ignore your violent nature.”_

_Now there she was right. They underestimated him, thought that his anger — the violence he was born with was just little matter. He was now missing a leg, he couldn’t do much, they figured. But he could. Tenoch was born in a time of wrought and he was raised in hate and shouts, his violent nature grew more than just physical violence. His brother knew how to talk, how to convince people by speaking. Well, Tenoch knew how to play with words, how to structure them to get what he wanted. He knew how to write._

_“They ignore what they don’t care about.”_

_”You’re angry and envious.” Maz sighed. She looked down at the Tarot cards she had with herself. She picked one out of the whole house._

_Justice._

_“What’s my future, storyteller?” Tenoch made it clear he knew — he thought those were stories._

_“I think you know what it is, vigilante.”_

_”I’m not the bad guy here.” He contradicted. “I still have morals, I still have standards, I’m not the evil one here.”_

_”No, you’re not the evil one in your story and maybe in other stories. You have a good heart which is bitter and envious of what your brother has. But you have good intentions.” Max explained. “But I’m afraid hate and anger will cloud your judgement and blind your justice.”_

_Tenoch sighed. “He thinks he’s the only one in this story, that he’s the main character of whichever cruel and twisted thriller this shit is. But he forgets that every “hero” has its villain.”_

_”And you’re more than happy to play it for him.”_

_”He has taken everything I loved from me! Everything I cared about! He took and threw it like it was nothing!” He shouted. He then looked down, red on his face and eyes, and with a much lower voice he continued. “He thinks that his actions don’t have consequences. He thinks that he made it. He thinks I’m his friend.”_

_”I know why you’re angry, Tenoch, you don’t need to explain your reasons to me.”_

_”He has done everything wrong yet he celebrates and it’s cheered like a king. He has it all, a kingdom and money, yet he always mocks the law. He has done everything wrong yet he has it all. I have done everything right and I’m looked down like a dog, I’m frowned upon and a threat. I have done everything right yet I don’t have anything!”_

_”And that bothers you.”_

_“He wants a threat, I’ll give him a threat. I’ll give him the worst villain he ever encountered. I will take his own game and play with him. I’ll destroy him from the inside. I’ll take everything he cares about and I will destroy him. And he will wonder how does that happens and I will be smiling.”_

_”Hate doesn’t suits you, Beto.” Maz pointed out. She took another card from the stack. “You’re too noble for said things.”_

_”Judgement.” He read from the card._

_”Let whatever grudge you have with your brother go. Don’t go into a battle and start a war.” She advised. “It’s not worth it.”_

_He laughed. “You see, I stopped caring about what’s worth it or not. And like you said, doc, I am a creature of war.”_

_”Then you’re the bad guy.”_

_Tenoch started to stand up, he still needed to adjust his body for him to grab the crutches he limped to the door. He gave one last look at Maz. “I don’t mind that.”_

_He whispered to himself. “No. I don’t mind that at all.”_

* * *

Cassian laid on his back, the bed next to him empty. The day very hot and he was just laying on his bed closing and opening his eyes in hope something or someone would come and snap him out of his bored trance. His head ached and his knee hurt. Truly some relaxing vacations they were. 

“Que chido, mijo, todo relajado.” A voice said. 

“Fuck off.”

”Are you waiting for Jyn?”

”Fuck. Off.”

”Fine. What’s wrong?”

”What the fortuneteller said. That’s what’s wrong.”

Tenoch frowned. He jumped to the bed to avoid having to limp a big distance. He looked at his brother, his hand on his head. 

“What she said was a load full of bullshit.”

”She knew how to read me.” Cassian said back. “She knew who I was.”

”She knew I still care about you.”

”I wonder what she said to Jyn.”

Tenoch laughed. “I’m pretty sure we’ll find out one of this days. Meanwhile, enjoy you’re not stuck with Kay for a night.”

Cassian chuckled. “Good luck with him.”

”And if you know, you both want to get it on, use protection.”

”¡No chingues!” Cassian exclaimed. “We will do nothing.”

”We never know.”

”Tenoch.”

His little brother laid next to him. “Yes, Cassian?”

”I don’t want you to be Head of Security anymore.”

Tenoch frowned. “What’s that for?”

”Kay is right. Something slipped through your fingers and it ended in an almost assassination, we can’t let that happen again.”

”If you tend to forget, that man was there to kill _you_ because of what you did years ago.” 

Cassian groaned. “That’s why I don’t want you to be Head of Security anymore.”

His brother just shrugged. “Then what will I be?”

Cassian licked his lips. “Remember when you used to write this amazing stories and letters out of your imagination?”

”Yes?”

”You and I have a gift, Beto. I know how to speak, I know how to sound convincing and how to make people join me but I’m afraid I don’t know the power of the pen. Most of my paperwork it’s nothing at the scale of your writing. You have a very powerful gift, you know how to make a pen and paper feel like a sword. And I need that from you.”

”¿Pa’ qué?” Tenoch asked. “Why would you need me to write?”

”I need someone that will help me — and by help me I mean writing — my letters to important people. To convince the governors and high profile people from afar. And I think you might be the key.” Cassian explained. 

“So, you want me to be your secretary.” His answer was blunt and dry. 

“I need you to be the business’s right hand man. I need you to address letters for anyone. I need you to be our author and our poet. Can you do said thing, brother?”

Tenoch thought. Jyn had begun to climb the endless stairs of ranks in the “business” as his brother called it. But that was pure love and blindness he had for her. And Tenoch didn't hate it, he was actually truly impressed and happy with what Jyn was doing. She was manipulating him and using his weakness as her strength. But Tenoch? He had stopped writing anything years ago. His strength laid in his physical attire and not mental. 

Maybe his brother was over exaggerating with how he was a master at the pen. But he knew how to write some sentence that had flow and coherency. If he truly set his mind into it, maybe he could convince from a letter a governor to take the dirty money, why not? Jyn was becoming a valuable asset in the game, she and Solo were surpassing all records that Cassian had. He should also make a name for himself. 

“Who I need to address a letter to?” He finally exhaled the breath he didn’t know he had kept. 

“Thanks.” Cassian smiled. 

“Yeah, yeah, shut up.”

* * *

 

What time was it?

Probably 2 AM or somewhere around there. Why was he in a freaking cheap desk with a dim light to shine on it? Where in his right mind did he truly thought of it? He wasn’t a poet? He wasn’t a secretary, and he probably wasn’t even a good writer. He was a cop. A good and honest cop. Just like Erso was an undercover agent. 

What was the thing he said that night of the party? To not get too attached to power? To not forget who they were and who the real enemy was? Well, she seemed to be following his advice, taking care of never breaking cover but always showing a sign of who she truly was. But him? He was already a hot mess, he had lost his leg and now he was in a cheap motel with one of the founders of the biggest criminal organization in México. 

Should he do it? Should he take on the role of judge and executioner? Should be decide to become the villain of his brother’s story? Maybe Erso would understand, she hated Narcos more than him. She had made that very clear in every way possible. She could understand, right? He still had time. He could still back away from the crazy idea that he had to bring justice to the country. He could just go back to bed, grab his crutches and limp a few feet and it would be over. 

What would be the aftermath of his actions? What chain of events he would trigger and never recover from? Maybe he should wait, be patient like he always was. He should do the right thing and wait. See where the wind will blow. Maybe he would be rewarded for it this time. Or he would look like a bigger fool than what he was already. He could wait as long as he wanted and his brother could become truly untouchable by then. Or he could act now and maybe prevent said actions. 

He looked at the desk, there was a piece of white paper and a pen. Did his brother recognize his writing? Well, he planned on making it the most neatly way possible so his brother would not suspect. 

What would Jyn do? This was supposed to be vacations — vacations when they decided to _forget_ who they were. Not become another person — what was he thinking? The witch or whoever she was never told him his future, or not bluntly. She did give hints. But not enough. He was still in the dark. 

Should he be the judgement and justice system that his brother so desperately needed?

Or should he just bow his head in submission to the biggest Narco in the world? To the hero of many people and a big narcissist who thought he was the hero of his twisted story?

But every story needs a bad guy. And every story has two ways of telling it. Two points of view.

”¿Qué carajos haces con esa pinche luz?” Kay grunted, semi-asleep. “It’s very early in the morning!”

”I know. I just have to write something down.”

Kay grumbled and positioned himself to go back to sleep. “Then do it quickly and shut off that fucking light.” 

Justice needed to be done. Tenoch couldn’t sit with his arms crossed as his brother became the hero of the people. He needed to take action. 

He _had_ to take action.

And he wrote.

_Dear Mr. Andor,_

_It’s time I give you a proper introduction to me and my organization. I’m sorry that I couldn’t write to you sooner, I’m afraid that people like us are too busy with life problems to write a letter, as I hope you understand. It has come to my attention that you, Sir, have taken a like to what’s called “illegal business” and I’m afraid, Businessman, that I can’t let that pass._

_If you see past our different points of view about what’s good and what’s bad in this earth, you’ll see we are very much alike. We could’ve been great friends in another time and century. Our similarities would’ve made us good friends but sadly, it is our few differences that makes us deadly enemies._

_God! I have forgotten my manners! I have written this far and still you don’t know me. Well, I’m so sorry, Sir, I’m actually very busy at the moment, and my mind seems to be forgetting even the most important things about being a gentlemen. Well, I shan’t take your time any longer with this boring letter. I imagine you have things to attend like seeing a Jyn Erso, perhaps. So, good Sir, I’ll keep this simple._

_It seems like you have become quite a vedette for the poor people of Sinaloa and Jalisco. They call you Jesús Malverde and praise you like a hero. And this is your story after all, Sir, and you decide if you want to be the hero. And all clues lead to your narcissistic personality saying you’re indeed the hero. And I cannot be in more agreement with you, Sir. So, let me introduce myself, Mr. Andor._

_I’m the villain in your story._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who’s the main bad character here!! I TOLD YOU PEOPLE THAT HE SERVED A PURPOSE. HA!
> 
> (This is what happens when you decided to finish this at 1 am)
> 
> By the way, my friend thinks I’m related to Lin Manuel Miranda because I’m Latino and my last name is Miranda. But who knows, right?


	26. Or Maybe We Were

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Dios, ayúdame en esta vida”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This what happens when you leave me with my phone, Spanish music I used to hear back in México and an imagination that runs wild every single day.
> 
> If you wanna blame someone, blame my mother for putting romantic songs when I was five and didn’t understand shit about the lyrics yet I like them.

_Did I ever like Jyn Erso as more than a friend? Honestly? Sometimes. Not every time. I mean, we still had a mission to accomplish and those stuff took long time, and it wasn’t exactly ideal to fall in love with every single woman your brother has a crush on. But with that in mind, maybe when all was said and all was done, we were family and sometimes, back in ‘79, friends with benefits. But we were never in love._

What the fuck.

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. It was said as a statement. Because the question was gone from anyone’s mind by now. Right there, the fuck was just a statement. Because that was all they both could think of. 

“Did we just-?” He blurted out. His sheets were a mess, he was naked but thank God that the other parts, well, were in the sheets. He was sweaty as Hell and his chest just went up and down. His brain was in shock. 

“Yep.” She answered. She was tangled in those sheets. Her breasts showing with red marks of hands big enough to touch them. She, just like him, was sweaty. And even panting. 

The silence was even a statement. A statement of a final moment of peace and probably mostly shock. After all the screaming and moaning, maybe shock was the best peace they could find. 

“It was..” He was searching the words even when his brain hadn’t even processed what the fuck happened a few minutes before. “...good.”

She laughed. A genuine laugh that made him red and aroused at the same time. “I think that was _fucking_ good.”

”Making puns at this moment?”

”Better than trying to process what your body just did.”

”Hey, it’s not my fault. It all _came_ to quick.”

”Who’s making puns now?”

He turned his head to see her instead of the ceiling of the million dollar hotel. “What do we do next?”

”Keep it between ourselves?” She suggested, shrugging it off as they hadn’t done shit. 

He sighed. “How the fuck did we get here in the first place?”

”I think a bottle or two of wine, you did a line of coke and then it just happened.”

”How the fuck was I able to do _that_?”

”I seriously don’t know how a one-legged man could do anything of that.”

He snorted. “Did I actually did a line of coke?”

She smiled. “Maybe half a line.”

”Wow, thanks that much better. It makes me feel less like an arrogant prick now.”

”You should get a prosthetic leg.”

”Now I have a reason to get one.” He joked. 

“Aren’t I suppose to be having _sex_ with your brother? The big shot drug dealer?” She grinned. 

“You got the wrong one, then, Erso.”

”I can do both.”

He looked at her again. “I’m seriously doubting what’s wrong with us and you and everyone.”

”Well, given that we just had sex in your brother’s hotel and it’s like 2 PM and we have to see Luke and Leia in thirty minutes, I can say that there’s something seriously wrong with us.”

He stayed silent. This wasn’t his first time, he would feel very offended if anyone thought he hadn’t had sex in his first twenty-six years in the world. Most of them where one-night stands that would end with him or her leaving before anyone woke up. He usually did it with unknown people, forgettable people. He never even tried to do it with his brother’s wife. He respected her decision even if he fantasize about it. 

And it should be his brother in his place. That was the reason of Jyn being undercover. To get in the pants of the big shot drug dealer and get information. Cassian was already in love with her. That was a good thing. Now she needed to be this sexy and seductive woman and get on with the mission. 

This was just a whole ‘nother shit that he didn’t know the answer to.

_Solo de errores se aprende_  
_Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón_

”Well, I already knew there was something wrong with me.”

“We all do.”

He stayed quiet another moment. He then looked at the ceiling and then at the closed window. Then back again the ceiling. Just three weeks since they went on vacation and this happened. Go figure. He sighed and looked at the window one last time. “We have to be there at 2:30, right?”

”Yes.”

He shifted between his sheets. “I bet they can survive without us ten minutes later than usual.”

_Yo se que no he sido un santo  
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor_

* * *

“Where are they?” Leia whispered to herself when Tenoch and Jyn hadn’t met with them at the time agreed.

“Probably doing some paperwork.” Luke shrugged. 

“It’s been forty minutes, Luke.” 

“Maybe Cassian was with them and they need more time.”

”Ah! There they come.” Bodhi said as he peaked through the window and saw the car of Jyn. Tenoch couldn’t even drive, he sold his car. A few minutes later, they walked through the door, Tenoch with a dirty smirk in his face but nothing more than that. 

“What took you so long?” Leia demanded. 

“He was working on writing letters to governors and I was with Solo, sorry, we tried our best.” 

“We need to talk about Tenoch’s new position and who’s the new head of Security.” Luke sat down. “Who’s the new guy?”

Tenoch shook his head. “It’s not a new guy, I know who he is, his name is José Luis Morales and he was the old security guard of a PRI politician.”

”Is he solid?”

”Well, I had to convince him that I’d done a good job and let me help him in secret.”

”And you wouldn’t know who he worked for.” Jyn joined. 

“Who?”

”Raúl Salinas Lozano, he was the senator of the Secretary of Industry back when Adolfo López Mateos was president. He’s now retired of course but his son is following in his father’s footsteps.”

”And who would his son be?”

Tenoch answered. “Carlos Salinas de Gortari.”

_If the name Carlos Salinas de Gortari rings a bell to you, then congratulations you’re either Mexican or you know about him because he was a major asshole. Carlos Salinas became the President of México from 1988 to 1994 and he did shitty stuff in his administration. In fact, he wasn’t even supposed to win. The night of the election, by some weird force, the building where the votes were held, lost power. When the power finally came, Salinas was the winner by 50% of votes._

_Some people say he was the one that did it. Most people know, because they don’t have doubts, that Salinas was crooked as Hell and he had something to do with the election of 1988 and between you and me, he did._

“So, two more names to put in the endless allies Cassian has.”

”And what do you now?” Luke asked.

’ _Jyn_ ’, he thought with the same dirty smirk but he cleared his throat. “I’m the secretary of Cassian’s Secretary. Isn’t that fun? I haven’t slept in about two days.” 

“What is it that you do?”

”Write boring letters for him. It beats me to know why he wants me to write them, I can barely write my name.”

Jyn looked at him and she could see the spark of fire that he emanated. Things would be complicated. Both of them didn’t love each other, not like she and Cassian would in the future, they didn’t see a future where they would be together. But love and lust are different things. And it wasn’t cheating. Jyn and Cassian weren’t even together, she could date anyone. But his little brother wasn’t her type. Tenoch was more impulsive — very similar to Jyn — and _opposites_ attract. 

Their “relationship” ended in the late 1980, after that, Jyn got with Cassian and Tenoch never touched her or forced her to do anything with him. He knew Jyn needed to get the information from Cassian. What he didn’t except was she _really_ falling in love with him and even ending marrying him. Even then, he decided to not intervene. But Cassian, well, he truly loved Jyn but he was a tomcat who cheated many times until she finally caught him. That’s when Tenoch confessed to sleeping with her before him. But that would be in 1986. 

That was one of the reasons Tenoch made the Rogue One team. 

Narcos were a truly complicated people. And their families even more. 

“What’s Cassian doing now?” Leia looked at the time. 

“Working?”

* * *

Oh, yes. Cassian Andor was working. Very, very hard. 

Note sarcasm. 

Cassian didn’t know how to cope with the love he had for Jyn that’s why he did what he always did when he didn’t know how to cope. Smoke and have sex. 

The son of a bitch knew that making Tenoch his secretary was the best thing ever, it made his work a little lesser than before. Now he had more time to see what was going on in his organization, he went to Rancho Búfalo sometimes and also, have a little time with the ladies. 

Here he laid, in his couch, with a woman who he didn’t, he didn’t care and wouldn’t see her again unless she was truly a master at her art. His shirt was gone, leaving his chest open, red and breathing heavily. His hair was completely undone. He had a cigarette hanging from his mouth. 

The woman was dressing up. 

He smiled smugly. “¿Mañana a las tres también?”

Typical of him to ask a prostitute if they wanted to fuck tomorrow at three. Now that he thought about it, he could have kids somewhere in the country. He not always used protection and who the fuck knew? Maybe he had a illegitimate son somewhere. As long as the boy didn’t know who he was, everything was fine.

”I’ll be there.” She winked and left the office.

That left him alone with his cigarette and his thoughts. Something dangerous because it was his imagination which made him. Now he was thinking of another thing, business.  

The Honduran guy, Ballesteros had made a secret pact with him. One that not even Baze or Kay knew. He was going to help him carry out some shipments of coke for 28% of the money. But now he needed to make a team, or something that would carry out the shipments to the border. 

Who could it be? Who could it be? Not Tenoch, he was way too obvious for said job and Jyn? Maybe she and Solo...

Now he was thinking of Jyn. Great, was supposed to keep his mind off her since they went back from the trip and he just thought of her and there he goes, his mind goes crazy with her and his down part as well. He shook his head, he didn’t need that right now. He needed to get his head in the game. 

But he couldn’t help but wonder as he took a drag out of his cigarette, what was Jyn doing right now?

* * *

“No, we should stop.” Tenoch breathed out, trying to get out of the bed and Jyn’s hands. 

Jyn did stop. She looked at him, she looked at him closer. His eyes had an immense sadness, bags on his eyes and ink in his hands. “What’s wrong?”

He sighed. “ _This_. This is wrong.” He tan his hand through his hair. “This isn’t supposed to happen! We sleeping together isn’t supposed to happen!”

”Sometimes mistakes happen.”

”Yes but if it’s a mistake, then why the Hell are we doing it again? This isn’t supposed to happen. You’re supposed to “fall in love” with my brother. Not me!”

“Calm down. You look like you’re going to have a panic attack.” She said calmly. 

He choked a laugh. “No, that’s Cassian’s business.”

She grabbed him by the arms and looked at him in the eyes. “I’m going to seduce your brother. Don’t worry, he’s going to end up in jail, if that’s what you wanna hear.”

”I want to hear someone say that my brother is still there! I have so much work to do.” He sighed. “We — I don’t have time to hook up with you. And I don’t even know what you and I are.”

“We are...” She searched the word. “We are just people who want pleasure.”

”So, friends with benefits?” He suggested. “That’s even worse.”

”Tenoch, this world — this job — will kill us in the end, right? Bad and good are relative terms. And sometimes in order to do good, you have to do bad.”

He remembered those words. 

___Jyn then gave a mischievous smile. “Didn’t you say ‘if you support evil, you’re evil’? Didn’t you say that, Tenoch?”_

_”Sometimes you gotta do bad things to catch bad people, Erso.”_

”You’re evil, I hope you know that.”

”We are not in love, let’s get that out of the way, we do not see a future with us together. We are not in any way in love, right?”

He nodded. “Right.”

”Then lets just be friends with benefits.”

”And Cassian?”

”That’s another love story for another time.”

He nodded. They weren’t in love in any way. They wouldn’t be in love in any way. It would be fine. 

_Well, if you’re thinking “God! I hate this” don’t worry. In the end, she truly fell in love with my brother and we stopped hooking up. She got married to him, had a kid with him and then he died because the police got him. Or I got him, to say that it was my Operation that overthrew him._

_We were young. The three of us were in our twenties and we thought the world would stop for us. We did mistakes and we fixed them. Back then, I slept with Jyn Erso a few times. But we were not in love. We always made that truly clear._

_Her true love was her family with Cassian and mine was my bottle of beer and my cigarettes. But now, that I’m old, my hair is grey and I ache where I didn’t, maybe, maybe once, back when we had those hook ups. Maybe we fell in love once long time ago._

_Maybe we were._

_But we never became. And I feel peace knowing that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going with a different path in this chapter but then, my friends left me with my phone and Shakira’s “Las De La Intuición” and “La Tortura” and I said “FUCK IT, we need sex in this book and let’s start by Tenoch because we all hate the guy.”
> 
> And then it ended angsty. What the fuck is wrong with me?


	27. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sake of this story and my own life, Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The USA is already out. Even if I’m reality it was in 1984

_Everyone was young when all the shit went down. The oldest out of us was Leia and she was 29. We were all a pair of young people who wanted to change the world. We thought that we didn’t have to face consequences. We thought we had all life to fix the consequences of our actions. But Baze, Chirrut and Draven knew different. They knew better._

Davits Draven was a good guy. He believed deeply in the cause and was ready to die for it, although it was highly unlikely. He had worked with the DEA for a twenty years. He became the ambassador of the United States by working hard and giving results. The world had changed, and it would continue to change. But he couldn’t help to be a little bit bothered by the fact that a mission that important was in the hands of — _kids_. 

They were kids, no matter what they said, they were kids in the eyes of a forty-five years old man. They acted recklessly and without question. Such mission was in the hands of kids. Leia Organa proved herself trustworthy many times, and that gave some peace to him, but his brother and the others? Not so much. 

He had specifically told Mom Mothma that Tenoch Andor wasn’t the right guy for the Rebellion. He acted out of his heart, his emotions. His mood could change as quick as the wind. Who knows what he could do if provoked. But he had to give something to that nationalist asshole, he was as committed to the cause as him. Maybe he was ready to die for it. 

Jyn Erso was a total different thing. One that Draven disliked very much. She was just like Tenoch, reckless, impulsive and led with her emotions rather than her mind. She had disobeyed direct orders and engaged with the enemy. And now? She was right there, in the same building, maybe in the same room as him. And they didn’t even realize how dangerous was that. They didn’t see the consequences. 

What if he discovers her true identity? What happens if he uses her as bait for his own business? What happens then? What happens if he kills her? 

Those kids didn’t think about those questions. They just did. 

Draven sighed. 

Those kids needed to learn there are consequences in life. They had a whole future ahead of them, and if they continued that way, they wouldn’t last. Draven knew that this was just a matter of waiting, a war would start one of those days. And when it will happen, Draven knew that not everyone would survive. Not only physically but rather psychologically. They would kill themselves with work. 

He could only imagine there was someone who thought the same as him in the other side of the coin. Cassian Andor was twenty-seven, still young. He was cautious and very secretive and he thought with his mind rather than his emotions but he was still young and his ever growing ambition could blind him. Draven thought he had to have someone older than him to see what he does, to give him advice. 

* * *

Cassian often wonder about the consequences of his work unto other people’s lives. Actions and decisions. He would admit that he laid awake at unholy hours in the night just wondering. His actions, all he had was for him. And for him only. Not for anyone else. Love? Love was an abstract concept for him. He loved. He had loved. But didn’t think that he would’ve given up his whole life’s work for it. 

The future wasn’t written in stone. Sooner or later, it would change. Every single decision and action he made had the opposite reaction. Cassian wondered. He knew how things ended, he knew what could be. What couldn’t. That was his talent, seeing what wasn’t there yet. But he wondered, would he be able to predict his fate? His future? His destiny?

That all went back to his father. To his broken childhood. The feeling of having to be this person, this person who would carry his father’s legacy. The name that was given to him wasn’t just letters. It was the consequences of his ancestors. And it would serve as a reference for his legacy. And what would he give to the world? What would be his legacy? Why was he so afraid of being forgotten by history?

Work. That was the answer to those questions. He simply didn’t know the answer, and he just made one. He just made one that didn’t make sense. He had to work. Every time doubt settled inside the deep corners of his heart and mind, he went to work, like crazy. Either on paperwork or visiting Rancho Búfalo or the bodegas. 

The consequences of his actions were too much to handle alone. That’s why he brought Baze and Kay. They could carry it with him. His mind always looked and focused on the positive outcomes of doing said business. Like winning a ton of money, taking a little shortcut in the success stairway, having power, things like that. Yet, he still lingered the negative outcomes. 

War, death, destruction, pain, grief. He wasn’t going to paint himself as a saint. Ask him who he is and he’ll tell you he’s a very bad person. He had blood in his hands, some was innocent and other wasn’t. He had taught himself not to care. He needed to do what had to be done. People brought the consequences on themselves. And Cassian had known since the beginning that the consequence of making the business was that in the end, everything ends. 

And his empire would fall. 

He didn’t care. That was just history. In the end, the organization would fall, he would die. But he had everything prepared, he knew what would happen. He knew who would be there or not. He wouldn’t make it easy to the DEA. If he was going to be cornered, he was going to fight for it. He was gonna fight for his last breath. 

Would he be a good father?

Ha! No. 

 _Cassian Andor’s life turned upside down when he got his son. Suddenly, all of his priorities were gone. He tried his best with the kid, he tried to shield him from the violence and the hate he had coming, he tried to protect him. Teach him how to defend himself, what to do in case of the police coming. Cassian made mistakes, of course. But after so long, his son still cannot get himself to hate his father. And I think that says that Cassian did not do a bad job._  

“What time is it?” Baze asked the two brothers all semi-asleep in the couch of Cassian’s. 

“Around 3 AM, why?” Cassian answered back. 

“What the heck are you guys doing?”

”Working.”

Baze scoffed. “I see that but why so late.”

Cassian shrugged. “No sé. We had to write a draft of a letter to the Governor of Texas.”

”Well, your brother is sleeping in a typewriter, he has ink stains in his hands and you are in your couch. I think he wrote the draft and you dictated it.”

”He writes, I talk.”

”I see, well, suit up, Kes found a man trying to go to the DEA with information about the organization.”

The Boss Of Bosses frowned as he lit up a cigarette. “Isn’t the new head of security take this? Why do you need me for?”

”The honest cop has information about your brother and Jyn Erso.”

Without any word, Cassian got up from the couch, grabbed his coat and left his brother sleep. 

* * *

The man who they were questioning was named Carlos Montes. He was part of Tenoch’s old squadron. He was one of the few who still believed in the power of the people rather than the government or drug kingpins. 

He had been beaten for a while now. He had a swallow eye, a bloody nose, his fingers in his right hand were total and utterly broken and he had been drilled a hole into his left leg. Everything just for a piece of information. But he didn’t budge. He kept saying he would speak to Cassian but only him. 

He was drooling blood and saliva when he appeared. In a black suit, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, the poor fuck looked older than what he was. He looked tired as well. It seemed like the weight of being a narco was one a little heavy for him. 

“You look bad.” He joked. 

The man, Cassian Andor, laughed. “You’re worst than me.”

Two other people were with him. Carlos glanced at them. Cassian followed his movements. 

“Leave us alone.”

The two nodded and closed the door behind them. The man grabbed a chair and sat on it. He exhaled the smoke and three the cigarette at the ground. He looked at the only good eye Carlos had. He then smiled. Those black eyes were the same as Tenoch’s. But with an anger. Not the hate the little brother had. 

“You have asked for me. At 3 AM in the morning.” He spoke. “I don’t like being awakened.”

Carlos scoffed. “I doubt you were sleeping.”

“You have lots of guts to be asking for me. I could’ve just told Morales to kill you.”

”But you didn’t because you want to know about what I know of Jyn Erso and Tenoch.”

Cassian went closer to him. Looking at him without blinking, with a look that could kill Carlos. He tried not to look down. He grabbed all the willpower he had left to not submit to him. 

“Be careful with what you say about them.”

Maybe it was the nerves that Carlos felt or knowing that he was going to die after this talk, that he started laughing. Seriously. He was crackling, spitting blood all over Cassian’s face. He looked like he lost it. 

“I-I’m sorry. But you don’t even know half of what’s happening in your empire. You think you’re the shit. El más cabrón de todos. But you were doomed since the start.” He exclaimed. 

When Cassian didn’t answer. He kept going. 

“You seriously have a blind side for your family, don’t you? You don’t think it’s a bit odd that Tenoch — a man who everyone thought so incorruptible — join you the same month that a new woman enters your life?”

The silence was enough for Carlos to keep laughing. 

“And what about Jyn Erso? What about her? Don’t you know Galen Erso was _killed_ by Pedro Avilés? The son of a bitch snitched to the DEA. What do you know about her? What do you know about him? Nothing!” He kept laughing. 

“What are you insinuating?” Cassian whispered. His face hadn’t break his frosty expression but his mind was going crazy. “What are you saying?”

”You are so trusting with the people that run your business. Let’s review. Your brother calls you the same day that you invite Jyn Erso, says that he'll be joining you when six months ago he hated your guts. He becomes the Head of Security. So convenient. And then, he is “undercover” with the DEA. And what about Jyn Erso? She was always where you were.”

“You’re saying they are betraying me?”

”I wouldn’t be giving my life if I wasn’t sure. But it’s your family in the end. Your life. I’m just pointing out the obvious. You’ll fall in the end. There always gonna be people like you. And they always fall. They never see the consequences of their actions.”

Cassian shrugged. This wasn’t going the way he expected. He looked at the lieutenant. “Consequences don’t apply to me.”

Carlos smiled. Showing two empty spaces where his teeth were. “That’s bullshit, compadre.”

”Why would I trust you? You were infiltrated in our facilites.”

”You won’t. But you’re gonna begin doubting. And that’s going to destroy you inside. So, come on, Jefe de Jefes, tell me you truly trust Jyn Erso and Tenoch? He used to speak so badly of you. And now he loves you and even gave his life for you? Bullshit.”

“That’s all?” Cassian asked, as if he had been bored from the conversation. “Your lies have been fulfilled?”

Carlos straightened as well as he could. His own life draining out of him. “You will never be loved by your people. And your mom would be so sad and disappointed of you.”

Cassian looked at the floor then at the man. He nodded, smiled and stood up. “Goodbye, Carlos.”

”The consequences of your actions will come back to you one day, Cassian Andor.”

The man said nothing. Carlos just saw Morales looked at him, pointing a gun at his head. And then, everything went dark. 

Cassian went back home — or the hotel. Alone. He was thinking about what Carlos said. He was smoking another cigarette as he drove from the quiet and lifeless roads of Guadalajara. Nothing was there. Some drunk people were singing songs but that was about it. 

What he said was false. It had to be false. But it made sense. That was what was bugging him. It made sense. But it had to be false. Tenoch would never betray him that way and Jyn was his friend. They weren’t going to be his fall. They were his family. They were his family. Not his enemies. Even Tenoch understood that. 

When he opened the door of his office, he saw his brother still asleep with his face in the typewriter. They had worked all day and night for that letter. So much that Tenoch had fallen asleep. Cassian envied that. Tenoch could fall asleep so easily. Meanwhile, he was an insomniac. Without making a sound he went over to his desk, popped two anxiety pills and drank water. He took a drag of his cigarette as he sat down. 

Consequences. 

He hated them. So much. 

He knew that he would pay them sooner or later. Lies were like a debt to the truth and sooner or later the debt would be paid off. Had he actually invited two of his worst enemies to his home?

That’s when the anxiety kicked in. The feeling of utter despair he lived with. The feeling of having to run from something. That you weren’t safe and that feeling of death. He never liked that feeling. He hated it. It made him start shivering and shaking. 

He got up very quickly from his seat and started pacing around the work space trying not to wake up his brother. He started breathing slowly and remembering all his past panic attacks. To remember that in the end, they always passed. They were always temporary — never ever lasting. 

No matter how bad they were, they always left him. With shame, embarrassment and ruined pride but they always left him. He tried to remember that they weren’t gonna hurt him. The feeling would go away. He had experienced a lot before and he knew the consequences. He was going to be okay. 

He then started to cry. Silently of course. He left the room and just sat in a corner of the hallway and cried. His hands shaking, his stomach upset but he just started to cry. Like the kid he once was. He just told himself that he had gotten very bad ones and had survived. It always ended. Even when it was really bad. Yeah, he hated it. But it was always gonna end. No matter what. 

After 40 minutes, he started to calm down. The panic leaving him and his breathing started to be more relaxed. He, still a little shook, went back to the office which his brother still laid asleep. He grabbed another pill — one he had never even considered to take until then. A sleeping pill. He took two. And he started to get doozy. He went back to the hallway. He was grabbing his cross with such faith. And he was mumbling something. 

“I’m so sorry, mom. I’m so sorry for what I’m gonna do.”

He slept in a corner of his hallway with his right hand on his cross. 

* * *

Four hours after. At 9 AM in a Sunday, the DEA decided to go for breakfast in a restaurant that was across the street. Leia, Luke, Bodhi and Tenoch were going to eat there. Jyn had to go with Solo to Juárez and couldn’t make it. 

“So, how’s everything?” Tenoch asked. 

“Good. Good.” Leia answered. “You look tired.”

He chuckled. “Compliments of being a secretary.”

Luke laughed. “Well, we aren’t far off. Sadly, no much can be done when Cassian Andor has the whole government in his hand.”

”And-and how’s Jyn?” Bodhi asked with a shy smile. 

“Good. Good. Getting very comfortable with Cassian.” Tenoch answered and shot a glance to Leia. She had been running the Rebellion alone for quite a while now. Tenoch was her spy. Everything that the DEA knew, the Rebellion knew it a week before. 

“Have you ever been here?” Luke changed of subject. Mentioning the restaurant. 

“Yes. I used to go here sometimes back when I lived alone.”

”So what would you recommend?” Leia smiled. 

Someone joined them. Without even asking permission to sit. The person just joined them with two other people by it side. 

Cassian Andor sat next to Bodhi Rook, in front of his little brother. He looked even more tired than him. His hair was still combed with gel, but you could see some gray hairs coming out of his temples. He had huge bags under his eyes. He had the same suit that Tenoch saw him the day before. It was wrinkled. He grabbed the menu and smiled. 

His eyes showed power, ambition, anger and confidence. And when he looked at one of them, it took a lot to not look down. But they failed. The only one who could meet his eyes was Tenoch. He was looking back at him. Pleading with his eyes silently. 

‘ _Don’t do it. Please, don’t do it_.’ The plead went unnoticed. Or maybe ignored. 

With a broken English, Cassian answered. “I would recommend the eggs.”

He could hear Baze and Chirrut’s scolds for doing such irresponsible and dangerous thing. They would not let him hear the end of it. But he didn’t care, the consequences could wait for him. 

“Cassian Andor, what do we own the visit?” Luke spoke in an accentuate Spanish. 

Cassian’s smile disappeared. Leaving that cold glare that was the signature look of every single murder he committed. He put down the menu and got closer to Luke. Tenoch closed his eyes. He would’ve never been prepared for what would come next. 

“I want you to tell me who are Jyn Erso and my brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys actually think a DEA agent would survive if they said their actual name to a drug dealer? No. But artistic license here.
> 
> I pulled an all nighter doing this. Please don’t. It’s five am. And I have a headache.


	28. You Better Not Miss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you swing at me, you better not miss. You better have another punch to throw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stopped smoking so, this week has been hell for me. So, sorry for not updating.

_Cassian was so arrogant and so confident that he thought he could go and confront three DEA agents in their breakfast and he wouldn’t suffer the consequences. Maybe he didn’t suffer the legal consequences thanks to the DFS but he would suffer the biggest consequence he could ever think of in his own organization: impeachment._

“He has to give the power!”

”He’s young!”

”He’s dumb and irrational!”

”He should no longer be the one in power!”

”He should had never even held power in the first place!”

Jyn was overwhelmed by the others’s voices. She had known the news by Solo when Kay called him. Turns out, Cassian had went the same morning and confronted DEA agents about their own investigation. The DFS has acted quickly and tried to dissolve the problem. Although, the US ambassador wanted a warrant for threatening an US agent but the bought government had not given it to them. 

But they were now being watched, Uncle Sam didn’t like to be scolded, he would watch the narcos moves and when a hole would open, it would dig up until he had enough dirt to make the Mexican government act. The narcos who formed the organization didn’t like that — they didn’t like that at all. And they weren’t happy at all. Every one of them had been assured that no mistake would be made and now, one of the biggest mistakes in history had been made. 

They were beginning to question the authority that Cassian held and how a young man of twenty-seven years of age could hold such important and powerful organization in his shoulders. They believed that the Guadalajara cártel needed a new leader. One with more experience and less arrogance. 

There was a meeting that was called by Baze and Kay. Most of the people there were the partners of Cassian. Mostly were ranchers who worked in each state as head of them, but there was two ex-senators and the director of the DFS. All of them were pissed at their leader for doing such idiocies. 

“Let’s be honest, primos, this organization has been Heaven for us. We have exported the most weed in eight months than we have in eight years. Eso está claro, and yes, it was Cassian Andor’s idea which has made us filthy rich but he has gone too far, I say that we need to put a stop in that!” Pablo Acosta pointed out. 

He was a big narco. Friend of Pedro Avilés, but he was an opportunist and in that time, Cassian seemed the best bet. Pablo Acosta was the Fox of Ojinaga. He was the one that connected Cassian with Juárez. 

“Yet we need him, we need him bad. He was the one who has cleared everything for us. We don’t see what he does. We need him.” Vicente Fuentes claimed, taking a sip out of his drink. “We can’t just impeach him, he has loyalists in his hand. And who knows? Maybe his brother was actually a mole.”

”¿Estás dudando de mi lealtad, güey?” Tenoch spoke. “You’re doubting of me? I’m sorry but I am with Acosta, Cassian is losing it. This cannot be tolerated. Thanks to Director Krennic we are all still here.” He gave a thankful look at the arrogant director. He then faced the crowd. “But what proof we have that he won’t do it again? We cannot let him have the benefit of the doubt!”

”Do you want to take his place? To be the one who leads?” Dameron asked. 

“No chingues, Kes. I don’t like the spotlight. I don’t wanna be the only leading this. I am just giving a suggestion.”

”And which suggestion would that be?” Baze’s voice boomed. 

“I want you to take the lead.”

Everyone was dead silent by now. Silent surprise was the worst out of all. No one knew what to say but everyone was thinking of something. It was that kind of tension that Jyn hated. 

“In every crisis, an opportunity is born. That’s what Cassian says. Then, let’s consider this a crisis. The son of a bitch just fucked us up. We can have an opportunity here.” Tenoch explained. “The government doesn’t give a shit about us and when they’ll find out that we are giving more problems than solutions, they will feed us to the Americans. And then we all are fucking toast. Consideren.”

”He’s right. The government has always shit on us. And Cassian wanted to show them that we can work together and we can give them what they wanted. But without Cassian, it just feels wrong.” Melshi drank. “He’s the one that has given us all the opportunities and innovations.”

”I’m with Tenoch Andor here, and I think he’s the brother with the most logic out of them. Baze Malbus can we a good leader and he’s the one with the most experience in this... organization.” Krennic spoke. He could care less about who’s the boss in their mystical world, he just wanted a bigger pay and it seemed Baze could give him one. “If Cassian Andor doesn’t step out of the office, the DFS will stop the aid given to this organization.”

Again with the silence. 

“Pues, entonces así será.” Pablo sighed. “Baze, do you have a word in this?”

Baze could be intimidating when he wanted and this was one of those moments. He didn’t say a lot but his eyes said enough. He never liked to be in the spotlight and he sure as Hell couldn't think of managing such empire. But Flaco had made a big mistake and needed to learn the consequences. 

“If I accept the job you’re offering me, things will change around here.”

”Like what?” Jyn finally spoke, and it felt like she didn’t even have the right to speak. The whole world turned to see her and Tenoch shot her a glare. Something along the lines of ‘don't fuck this up’ and ‘fuck you’. 

“No more chatting with the DEA.” Baze answered. “The chatting and spying on the DEA is what brought us into this mess in the first place. I will also have Solo help Kay with the Exportation side of the business. Melshi will help out in Internal and External Affairs.”

Jyn didn’t like the changes at all. If no more chatting with the DEA became a thing, a lot would go out in the light and also, it would be extra difficult to help them win this battle. She had to control herself and not oppose it. She needed to get Cassian back into the business as quick as possible. 

“Hecho, Patrón.” Both Solo and Melshi were more than happy to be promoted to more paying jobs. 

“And the DFS?” Krennic said. 

“We’ll see. We’ll talk.” Tenoch answered for Baze. He then glared at everyone in the room. “Let me make this really clear: Cassian Andor cannot be trusted or left to his own devices to run this organization. Until he shows sign of improvement, Baze will run the cártel for him.”

”And who the Hell are you to say that?” Vicente Fuentes mocked him. 

“He used to be the Secretary of Cassian.” Kes snorted. “Lady-like shit.”

Tenoch grumbled something. But it wasn’t heard. 

“And what about Cassian?” Jyn asked. 

“He either learns from his mistakes or he will never get to hold power again.” Pablo commented.

”He fancies you, then, why not you just help him? He talks too much about you and who knows? Maybe a good night it’s all he needs.” Another of the traffickers snorted. 

“Don’t say that, she’s gonna get offended.” A man of Krennic laughed. 

Tenoch cleared his throat. 

Everyone looked at Baze. 

“This meeting is adjourned.” Baze said. “Tomorrow Kay will fly to see Isabella Bautista and then Pablo Acosta, understood?”

Everyone nodded. 

* * *

“What in the Hell was that?!” Jyn whispered as Tenoch limped away. “What the fuck was that?!”

”Not now, Erso.” He grumbled. 

“What happened this morning?”

”Fuck off, Erso.”

”Tell me.”

He stopped and sighed. “Nada pasó. That’s all. Fuck off.” And he started walking again. 

“Did he make a fool out of you?” She commented with a touch of spite. “Is that why you decided to back stab your brother in that meeting?”

”Aren’t this suppose to be a war? We need to take advantage of every single opportunity we have, Erso. We need to win this.”

”Do we or do _you_ need?”

”Talk to him. He’s gonna need you. I have another thing to do.”

”I bet you so.”

”Don’t forget that it’s thanks to me you’re not dead, Princess.”

Jyn just stood there, watching how the limping man left until only the faint scent of his cologne was the only thing left. 

* * *

Cassian wasn’t a mess. He wasn’t unstable. Or at least not enough for some traffickers to take the power away from him. He did have his moments but he was sane. He was fine. And he didn’t like that Baze locked him up in his room like a little kid. 

He still had power. No matter what the Hell they all chose in the end, he still held the power. He had made a name for himself and everyone answered to it. He was still the Businessman. He was going to change the situation around — and he would do it very quickly. 

His head was full of ideas, full of innovations and challenges. Every single day, another idea popped and he made more money with it. And now he had a great idea. This would give the middle finger to the organization and the DEA. And although the risk was way more higher than before, if he was cautious and undistracted, it would work. 

He grabbed the phone and sat in his chair. He looked at the time and he looked at the windows, the paranoid side of him needed to know no one would see him or even hear him. He punched a serie of numbers and laid back in his swivel chair. 

“Isabella Bautista.”

Cassian smiled. “Mija, how are you?”

”I heard you did something stupid, uncle. Something that might cost you your seat in the big chair.” She didn’t answer to his question. But he could mind less. 

“Ey. Pues, tal vez. But those other stupid traffickers will see that without me, all of this goes to Hell.”

”Everyone can be replaced, right?”

”Could Einstein be replaced? Or Emiliano Zapata? Some people are unique.” He smirked. “But yet I need you for something, something that can bring a great deal of money for you and the Arellano Félix.”

The line went silent for a while. Probably using the same strategy that Cassian taught her a little while back. Use silent as an answer and it will help very much. 

“What does my uncle proposes?” A little smile could be heard from the other side. 

“Mija, tell me what you know about the blow business. I am thinking of something right now, and I might need you.”

”Your operation began in June and we are in the last week of February. You felt a change of heart right now?”

Cassian chuckled. “Let me tell you that my operation began back in ‘75. Just not at this scale. Mijita, the business is changing and we most change with it.”

Isabella sighed. “Always looking for the opportunity to make more money.”

”And isn’t that a good thing?”

A cough could be heard. Someone was there with her. 

“Tijuana is not so happy about the change of leadership, and we can — we _might_ help you.”

”And who’s we?”

”Meet us tomorrow at four, Cassian.”

And the line went dead. 

Cassian hang the phone and grabbed a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it up. He was furious with the traffickers. How dare they? How dare they tell what’s good for the organization when a few months ago they were laughing at his face? Cassian wasn’t mad. He wasn’t furious. He was vivid. 

He looked at the balcony. Then, he looked at himself. He started laughing. He took the cigarette and brought it to the ashtray. He stood up and looked at the view from the balcony. He sighed. How dare those assholes tell him what to do? How dare they have him “impeach”? He had a plan now. He knew what to do. He knew. 

He was the Businessman. He was The Godfather. He was the one who made the business what it is. He was the one who made a whole empire. Fine, those men wanted to throw him away. They wanted to take his success as if they were the ones who worked hard for it. But he wasn’t gonna let them. 

He was about to bring a gun into a knife fight. 

He was going to take back his power. He was going to make the traffickers know who was the Boss. 

They made their move. Now it was his turn. 

_When Pablo Escobar got pissed, the whole country of Colombia paid for it. His anger was a bomb for the country. He took his hate and disappointment to the people. Killing anyone who had pissed him or looked at him funny. When Pablo Escobar got angry, everyone in Medellín knew it and dread it. He made his anger be showered with blood. Showering it with curses, threats and promises he would always keep._

_When Cassian Andor got pissed, no one knew until it was too late. Cassian never liked confrontation and tried to avoid fights. His anger was as big and flamboyant as Escobar’s but he didn’t say it. He didn’t show it to his partners. He didn’t make Guadalajara or Mexico bleed red. For him, people’s lives were replaceable. When Cassian Andor got angry, he resorted to his brains. Hurt his partners where it hurt. With the money._

_When you swung Cassian Andor, you better not miss, you better have another punch to throw because when it was in his turn, he wouldn’t miss his chance to make you bleed._ _The traffickers, the DFS and even the DEA swung at Cassian, and unfortunately, we had missed and did not have another punch to throw. And Cassian? He was about to show us what happens when you angered The Godfather._

_May the Force be with us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was around 37 when he made the Cártel of Guadalajara and by then he had already a family. He had 17 kids. And in a way, he was way more experienced and more matured than a 27 years old man.  
> And this is this.
> 
> Edit: I had this for two days and kind of forgot. Anyways. HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY. 
> 
> I also kind of made Cassian’s reaction overdramatic because he is becoming too arrogant.


	29. El Arresto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But save a bullet for yourself. ‘Cause the system doesn’t like heroes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should be called “I-made-it-a-long-time-ago-but-then-re-do-it-for-like-five-times.”
> 
> Like, one was sad, the other was bad, the other was really angsty and then, I said fuck it, if people don’t like this well, too bad.

_Remember when I said that my brother had two favorite sayings? The “good guys live to die another day” and “the system doesn’t like heroes”? Well, remember that he warned me to not get into his business? Yes, you do? Well, that would make one of us._

“I knew I would find you here.” 

Beto was sitting (well, somehow sitting — it’s hard when you have crutches and a bullet hole in your side) on the edge of the street, a bottle of beer in his hand, the only light was the streetlight which was not of much help. He didn’t even turn around, he just shrugged with an air of defeat. 

Cassian sat down next to him and looked at the stars which were out but couldn’t be seen properly thanks to the huge skyscrapers of the city. “Back in Sinaloa, the mountains were a beautiful place to watch the stars, remember?”

”I do.”

”This city has forgotten that sometimes you gotta just watch the stars someday.”

”You’re gonna make me regret supporting Baze’s take on the leadership, aren’t you?” Beto’s voice sounded hard and plain tired. He chugged another drink.

”Yes I am, but first I wanna get to know why someone told me you were betraying me.” Cassian looked at his little brother.

He couldn’t say he was better than him. He was pretty sure that he was worse in some ways but he still flinched internally when he saw his brother. His hair was all messy and greasy, a sign that he haven’t shower, his mustache was growing little grey hairs. His posture was hunched, shoulders heavy on something he didn’t know he carried, drowning in alcohol and by the way he sniffed once in a while, drugged with coke as well.

1962\. He was nine and Beto was eight. He still had hope on being a police officer, it was a little before his father just plain left him on the street. He remembered they sat down in the edge of a curb just like the one they were now. He was full of candy they got in the corner store. They had decided to eat it there and then, couldn’t even wait to eat it at home. Beto was full of happiness, his eyes were innocent enough, didn’t know the hardships of life, his shoulders only carried the weight of his studies, he had two legs and the “alcohol” he drank was apple juice which his imagination made Whiskey. 

Seventeen years later, Cassian was looking at his brother again. He had left him for six years, and those six years hadn’t been kind to him. But the past few months had destroyed him completely. Cassian didn’t know the weight he carried now was a choice. Do I help my brother live another day? Do I keep continuing to help the DEA for his demise? Or do I just stay out of it? 

”Because they’re assholes, that’s why. Because they want you to doubt your friends and family.”

”You’re angry as well, aren’t you?”

”Fuck you, yes, I’m angry! What? Do you think I like drowning myself in whatever this drink is and snorting teaspoons of coke at 1 AM in a curb? Did you think that when we were ten, and we asked — when _I_ asked myself where would I be in seventeen years, this was going to be my answer?” 

He just kept chugging that bottle. He rather be anywhere in the world than being stuck with his brother. A man who half of his life Beto wanted to make proud. A man who Beto would’ve given his life not so long ago. Those memories were the ones that made him chug a lot of bottles every night, he didn’t want to remember those days when everything was either good or bad. Not fifty shades of gray. When his brother was kind and not a merciless drug kingpin. 

“I remember that you wanted your own corner store because that seemed a simpler life.” Cassian joked, watching the stars. 

“Well, look at where the simpler life got me.”

Cassian nodded as he took a cigarette and lit up. He stayed in silence for a few minutes, just taking in the smoke of the cigarette and exhaling it to the street. He then proceeded to look at his brother again. “Do you like Jyn?”

“Yes.” 

“Not in that way—”

Beto shook his head. “I know which way you meant. And the answer it’s still yes, not as much as you, she’s still like—well, not like you. Not like that.”

”You’re fucked up, cabrón.” Cassian took a drag. “You’re lonely, though. You truly have nobody. That’s why I’m here, because I have to see a weakness out of you, someone or something that you actually care about. But even here, drunk and high, you still have nobody.”

”Weakness?” The drunk mumbled. “What weakness could I show? You are the one that showed me to never show any weakness.”

He exhaled the smoke. “You’re still avoiding what I said, so what only weakness I can see from you, is that you don’t like when I say you’re alone. Completely alone. How can I make you regret supporting those assholes? You don’t care about money, you don’t have any loved one near you, you don’t care about dying or living. You’re making my life a little too difficult.”

”Would you kill me, big brother?”

Not a fucking hesitation. No hesitation at all when he answered. 

“If the jobs requires it.”

Beto scoffed as he rocked himself, out of being high or drunk or even maybe both. While Cassian saw the stars, he saw the dark corners of the street. How nice of his brother to say he would kill him if he needed. 

There was a lot of similarities that the two shared. But there was this one big difference that made everything else just go to Hell. For Cassian, to not care is a luxury he couldn’t have, to not care about the little things and the big things in life. But for his brother, being able to care about something or someone was the luxury he didn’t have. Cassian spent his time caring about how the business would go, he carefully about the little and the big things in life while Tenoch spent his life not to caring about anything that didn’t touch him. He spent his time looking down and doing nothing. 

“Well, take it as a fact that I will also kill you if the job requires is it.”

”And what is your job exactly?”

”I’m not the bad guy in your story.” 

Cassian shook his head. Remembering that letter he was sent a few days before. That letter which the presumed writer had made clear that he was the bad guy in his life. Not really with the DEA but not with the DFS either. “No, seems like that job has been taken.”

”Are you afraid of the end, Cass?” Beto snorted a laugh. “Are you afraid that your empire will fall one day?”

”No. I’m not at all. I think all good things have an end. But it’s not about how much time you have left, is rather what you do with that time before you die. Are _you_ afraid about this ending one day?” 

“I think that just like you, I have a plan for when that day comes.”

Cassian gave out a little chuckle as he shook the ash from the cigarette. He stretched his legs out in the lonely and empty street of the beautiful city of Guadalajara. “This is a beautiful place, indeed. You did a good job at moving here. Close to the beach. But I have another job for you.”

Beto threw the empty bottle making a crashing sound with the asphalt. Millions of little pieces of glass just spread in the dark shadows. “Two jobs in less than a year. Wow. First being the head of security and then your personal secretary, now what? What’s the third one?”

From the dim light of the streetlight, he saw Cassian doing a little nod, one that you could easily be missed. He was about to ask him, out of being high and drunk, why was he nodding when he felt the cold metal of a gun in his head, the click sound making sure he knew that it was loaded. Beto froze in his uncomfortable position. 

“You son of a bitch.” He grunted. 

Cassian took the last drag out of his cigarette and stepped on it. “You betrayed me. You have been working with the DEA for a while now, you and that new agent that came some time ago. Now, I’m sure you’re like me and you won’t snitch on your precious friends but it’s still worth a try, who’s the DEA agent? The one who’s being wiped clean from the DFS’s files?”

”You’re the dumbest drug kingpin I’ve even seen. Even worse that the Naranjo brothers. Do you truly believe that I could be with DEA without giving them a little information? Soy tu pinche hermano, they don’t trust me because of my last name. If I wanted them to give me their info, I had to give them something in exchange.”

The muzzle of the gun was pressed harder in his head. It wasn’t the first time he had gotten a gun pointed at him, in fact, he had been shot and lost his leg once. But Beto was still a human being and the idea of death scared him just a little bit. Not enough to tell his brother who the DEA agent was. Maybe it would never be enough for him to tell him that. 

Cassian laughed as he stood up. Stretching from being in a position for too long. “Oh, so you’re telling me that you betrayed me because like that you protected me? Well, thank you.”

The drunk man glared at his brother and tried to move but the muzzle was still hard pressed on him. “I got shot because of you, I saved your life! Hijo de la chingada, gracias a mí estás vivo.” He spat on the floor. “You’re alive because of me.”

”You do realize that the information you gave them, even if it was as insignificant as we both know it is, cost the lives of a lot of workers? You got them arrested, brother. Some you got killed. You’re not the saint you claim to be, and you need to understand said thing.”

Beto shrugged. “So, what are you going to do? Kill me? That just seems a little more cruel than what I expect from you.”

Cassian smiled. “I should, I very much should kill you but you’re right, you saved my life and I own you my life. So, I won’t kill you. But you still need to pay the consequences of your actions, helping the DEA, even with the insignificant information you gave them, was bad. You should’ve told me.”

”Then what are you going to do?”

”You’ll see.”

 _El que quiera sera hombre derecho_  
_que se enseñe a mirar su nivel_

* * *

Jyn was woken up by the sound of her apartment phone ringing. She didn’t like to be woken up but she barely had a good night sleep, so she didn’t complain to the ceiling as much. She went up to the counter in the hallway and tried to sound her best — as she didn’t just wake up — as she answered her phone. 

“Hello?”

”Yo, Erso, kid, have you heard about Tenoch?” The voice of Solo resounded in her eardrum. “Check the news!”

She made her brain go full awake, she began thinking about the endless possibilities about what could happen to Tenoch. Maybe he got into a fight and now he was injured, maybe he got a promotion because he supported Baze, maybe he fled the city because he supported Baze, and in a very bad situation, she thought he had been killed.

“On it.” She managed to say. She hang the phone and went directly to the living room and turned on the scrappy TV set that she owned. 

She changed the telenovelas to the news channel and she sat down. She couldn’t believe it. 

Tenoch’s face was in the TV. A mugshot. A fucking mugshot. He looked drunk and high went the phot was taken, his hair was a mess, in his mustache you could see some white powder, his eyes were bloodshot and had huge bags under them. He held his jail ID as he smiled to the camera. Something that he only could do. She listened closely to the TV anchor. 

“ _The DFS and the DEA have arrested Tenoch Beto Andor this morning at 2 AM, Tenoch Andor has been suspected of murder and corruption for months now. He has also been charged with drug trafficking as the DEA speaker told us. He worked for the infamous Naranjo brothers for six years, becoming their most trusted ally before helping an unknown friend kill them last year._ ”

Jyn couldn’t believe it. They were arresting Tenoch for what Cassian had been doing. Corruption? Really? Tenoch Andor was one of the few true cops in that Godforsaken city. Murder? She was pretty sure Tenoch didn’t kill anyone. Drug trafficking? For fucking sakes! What kind of sick joke was that!

” _Tenoch “Rudo” Andor had been a fugitive of the law for a while now. The DEA had been trying to get him but he covered his tracks well until earlier this morning when an eye witness saw him drunk and high in the curb of a near bar. For reasons of security, the DEA and DFS have not released the name of the witness. This proves again the great relationship that Mexico and the United States have..._ ”

She didn’t listen afterwards. She was too busy getting ready to meet with Leia about this. The news anchor had been specific about the role of the DEA in his arrest and she was pretty sure the eye witness was one of Cassian’s guinea pigs. Maybe it could be Cassian himself. This was just another fucking cover after he fucked up a few days ago. America needed to blame someone and the narcos were more than happy to provide the culprit. 

A fucking joke this was. 

But then she stopped dead on her tracks. Tenoch had been arrested and she was the one who, you could say, worked with him. They would be listening and watching her movements as well. They needed so desperately to know if she knew about Tenoch’s betrayal to the business. If she was involved with it. And she couldn’t risk any of that. She couldn’t see Leia or even make contact with the DEA. She wouldn’t be able to say anything to Tenoch. 

She grabbed the phone, punched Solo’s number and waited for him to pick up. 

“¿Bueno?”

”So, they got him.” She said. 

“Estás en lo correcto, kid. They got him. Cassian denied having anything to do about it but I don’t see him rushing in and saving his brother. They have him for drug trafficking and murder. Looking at a very lengthy process. Forty years or even more. Doesn’t look good for him.”

She sighed. “How did they get him?”

She could hear Han Solo shrug. “Politics, sister, politics. Baze is in charge now and I’m pretty sure Cassian knew that Tenoch was the one who said so. Maybe a payback? I dunno. Beats me. Just thought you had to know.”

”Thanks but why?”

”You guys are close. And some people think that you might have known about his betrayal — you know, him working for the DEA, actually giving them information. Although it was pretty insignificant, Cassian doesn’t like that he wasn’t told. And some people think you knew. And I like you, Erso and I’m pretty sure you had nothing to do with. Pero, por las dudas, you know.”

”Yes, I know. Gracias, Solo. I’ll be in touch.”

”Be careful, kid. The system never liked any heroes.”

_The DEA needed someone to blame, Cassian needed someone to pay the consequences of his actions and Mexico City needed to look good in the eyes of the gringos. All those equations had the same result. Me getting arrested. Now, imagine being stripped away of your freedom because your brother fucked up, I of course didn’t stay in jail for forty years but I did have my share of doing time._

_The main problem was Jyn being alone now. While I stayed in jail, she had to be alone in the operation. The whole shit became too difficult and complicated but she pulled through. It gave her the push so she could try to do what I couldn’t. It was a matter of life and death. The DEA needed her but the narcos were watching. And I was locked up in jail._

_When I came out, that’s when shit began to hit the fan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all should watch “Y Tu Mamá También” Because that’s a masterpiece of Mexican cinema. It’s the movie which made Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal like a household name. Like, yes, it has a lot of sex and it’s an erotic movie but if you see pass that. It’s a beautiful movie which narrates friendship, the ignorance of Mexican people — of México, feelings, it’s a true beauty. 
> 
> That movie inspired me to make the vacations chapters because it reminded of road trips me and my family made to towns just like the ones they visited. It’s a truly masterpiece which I watched back in February but I watched it again this morning and wow. Just wow. And that last line of the movie. The last fucking line of the movie that just leaves you contemplating life. 
> 
> Nunca volverán a verse. 
> 
> They will never see each other again. 
> 
> Just — just watch it.


	30. “There’s Nothing Wrong With My State Of Mental Health”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm very tired, and I'm not feeling right. All I wish is to be alone. Stay away, don't you invade my home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorites songs are “Who Can It Be Now?” Because it’s such a great song and I think it can apply to Cassian, Tenoch and Bodhi. I just love the song. And it was released in 1982. An important date in this book.

_What do you do when you’re brother has been sentenced to twelve years of prison? Or when your own people have turned against you for a dumb mistake? You wait. You wait that one of those dumb fuckers makes a mistake and you solve it. And you have to get a little bit lucky._ _Cassian didn’t need luck, he knew one of those dumbasses would fuck up. He just needed to wait for the right moment — and he was a master of waiting for the right moments. Also, he had Jyn._

_Without anyone, Jyn was now responsible for the DEA intel about Cassian Andor, and with my arrest, the narcos were more paranoid and looked to her for answers about the betrayal. She had to be very careful with how she handled things. But she wasn’t going to give up just yet. She was going to teach them that Jyn Erso isn’t someone you mess with._

Four months shortly after Tenoch’s arrest, he was given twelve years in prison. But everyone — even Cassian knew that he would break out somewhere in the middle of it. The trial had been fairly short and fresh, no much chaos in it. The story the press and the government had given was that Tenoch was a terrorist who had assaulted DEA agent Luke Skywalker and his sister DEA agent Leia Organa, whom, they had to testify against him. Out of fear and bureaucracy. 

In his part, Tenoch didn’t say anything that could favor him. He didn’t give much of a fight. Or that’s what Jyn heard, she had never been near the trial. Always maintained her distance. What Solo told her was that he looked worse every single time he saw him, like if they beat him up — which wasn’t unusual, Tenoch had many enemies in jail — and that, Baze contributed to get him a prosthetic leg. The twenty-six years old man looked tired and defeated, Solo noted. And he plead guilty in every charge against him. 

With Tenoch out of the picture, Jyn had to gain the trust of some of the narcos again. Most knew she and him had a good friendship — most important, she needed to gain the favor of Cassian again. Baze had laid off his back, although he was still the head of the cártel, Baze had recognized Cassian’s role in it and was planning on giving back the power without anyone to know. Jyn knew Cassian’s plan. He just waited and gave the bosses a bad headache. 

He was petty like that. 

Jyn in her part, had helped more and more in the plaza of Juárez, in which, Melshi spent most of his time. She did many trips to the border illegally and brought with her sacks and sacks of cash which would go directly to Cassian — because he was still the Boss legally and financially, Baze just made sure the actions he took weren’t dumb enough. So, you could say Cassian never lost power — he just learnt from the bureaucracy of his government to wait. 

Dealing with the DEA was more complicated for Jyn now that the narcos were more paranoid with exterior forces — the DFS had bought more and more government people and the Mexico City bureaucrats made life impossible for the Americans. Not returning their calls, not paying enough attention and telling Cassian when they were getting too close to something big. And sadly, Jyn couldn’t do much about it. Tenoch had tried before and now he was in jail for a crime he didn’t commit — that was a message for the DEA and for anyone who wanted to help plan the Guadalajara Cartel’s demise. 

Jyn had even learnt a Mexican saying which applied to this exact situation. _Quien busca en dónde no debe, encuentra lo que no quiere_. Another way to say, mind your own business or pay the price — and the price is very high. Everyone knew — it was an open secret, that Cassian Andor had thrown his little brother to the wolf’s mouth. Everyone knew who Cassian Andor was — in the streets. There was little information about him in paper. 

He was like a ghost when it came to diplomacy. He didn’t exist when it came to important documents. But everyone knew who he was — in a certain way, because everyone who knew who he was, were not dumb enough to betray him. They kept his secret and in exchange, he gave them money. One of the many problems the DEA faced when trying to catch him. He was completely clean in the paper trail, and when they got close enough to something that might be his end, the DFS took care of it. Again, bureaucracy at its finest. 

_So what do you do when you cannot catch the biggest fish in the pond? What happens when that fish has the whole police in his side? What happens when the fish become literally untouchable? Easy. You go for the small fish. Indeed, they are not the prized possession but they are small enough so the DFS don’t guard them 24/7 like they did with Cassian Andor._

_And even if Cassian and everyone in the organization forgot that it was his invention that made them filthy rich, Kay Tuesso wasn’t considered a big fish neither was Baze Malbus. So, the DEA was going to try to catch them both. And hey, maybe it would’ve been the moment Cassian waited for._

* * *

Kay Tuesso had more important things to do than caring about the dumb and useless trial of Cassian’s brother. He did pity the man, thanks to his older brother, he would “technically” spent the next twelve years in prison, if his calculations were correct, that would be until 1990. And by then, Tenoch Andor would be 38. Of course, Kay knew that would not be the case, he was sure that in the next three years, he would break free. 

But like he said before, Kay had more important things to do than to care about the traitorous brother of Cassian. He had also been punished by his best friend for taking initiative for that meetings months ago. And he now had to work harder, in the hot and seriously deserting place that was Rancho Búfalo. Most days, the place was a living hell. The heat and the dryness of the place made it almost unbearable. And Kay would like to very much hit Cassian who stayed in a hotel with air conditioning and well, wasn’t a fucking desert!

Baze came around sometimes, but it was mostly El “Azul” who came with two of his minions and cold beers. They came in suits — the first times — then, they learnt how hot was the Rancho and came with less clothing. Kay himself just wore some shorts and a very dirty and used to be white t-shirt. He didn’t work as much as he used to the year previously, now thanks to the blinded workers whom came in the bus, they made hard work. But he still needed to supervise the whole thing. 

Something that Kay had noticed was some of his staff and inventory got moved to another place. He did not know what place and Kes Dameron was as vague as possible but Kay knew Cassian was planning something, maybe another warehouse. He didn’t have time to care properly. He trusted his friend, even with everything that happened (which wasn’t a lot, in fact, Tenoch had been blamed for the incident with the DEA). But he had his limits, and with a whole field of ever growing weed, his problems just piled up. 

It wasn’t like Cassian’s which were paperwork to see who got bribed and who got killed. No, the problems that Kay faced were physical ones and inventory ones. For example, he need to dig up another well if he didn’t want his seedless weed to die in the never ending heat of the outsides of Guadalajara. But that meant he needed the equipment and the men necessary and no one wanted to work in the heat. And Kes didn’t even visited frequently to take care of the inventory. So, Kay was forced to think about a solution. 

And not to forget about the irrigation program. Oh, yes, the irrigation program. The damn DEA had put a request to fly over the outsides of Guadalajara after one of their secret intel told them about a rumor about a growing weed field in the outskirts of the city. Now, Kay was obliged to go and bribe the ones in charge of the irrigation program, bribe the pilots and ever more, so they could give the DEA some old photos or just leave them on seen. And Kay had to do it all in the budget that Cassian had chose for him. 

Could you believe it? He had a fucking budget. Like they were an actual organization or enterprise. 

Sometimes Kay wanted to march right up that fancy hotel office of Cassian’s and give him a good right hook in his jaw. And Baze didn’t help too much. Seemed like he was being forgotten — or at least put aside. Not enough for him to be actually mad at his partners but enough to be annoyed by them. Kay knew Cassian still held the power of the cártel. Privately and he just wished it to be publicly because out of them all, Cassian was the only one with an idea of what the fuck to do. 

Maybe kicking Cassian out of the club he made was a bad idea, Kay used to think in the heat of the desert. In the end, Cassian knew the game better than anyone and could use his knowledge to destroy them all and leave them penniless. 

But then again, that was a problem for the big boys over the city who called the big shots. Kay’s job was to make sure the source of income kept growing healthy and strong, to make sure it was packed right and to tell Azul the numbers. Which was a hard job itself. 

* * *

Bodhi Rook had the worst luck he believed. Truly, he was an unlucky man, he was born an unlucky man. First, he had been born into a poor family and to make money for food and living, he was forced to be the chauffeur of the narcos. It was a very paying job but it has its risks. He was always told to never ask questions about where to go and should always be available. But Bodhi Rook wasn’t made to support the torture the narcos gave each other. He was nervous and he was in the wrong side. 

His bad luck continued and when he was finally taking the courage to tell someone — not the police, they were corrupt as hell — about the fields of Pedro Áviles and his partners, he found himself being tortured for hours. Giving him shots of adrenaline to make him stay awake through the pain and then breaking his mind, making him a broken man. But it was worth every single pain of his body. His shaking hands and his stutter. 

_Turns out, Cassian Andor & Bodhi Rook had things in common. Bad things in common but things in common, nonetheless. It was believed that Cassian Andor developed the paranoia disorder in his early thirties. And as the years passed, it became worse and worse. That could explain his meds. Bodhi Rook was believed that after the events in the year 1987, developed paranoia and depression disorder. He was treated and got well the years after. _

_But Cassian Andor denied his state of mental health. Until his wife, Jyn Erso, had to bring a doctor to help her husband sleep at nights._

_I, in the other side, was very much diagnosed with mild paranoia and “PTSD” that was always unchecked. And I turned out fine!_

He would have a ever lasting trauma thanks to the torture he endured but he always said it was worth it. He could live with the nightmares and the pain. He had Luke to help him. But yes, there were times when he felt a little too overwhelmed by everything but Luke was there to help him. They went over what was making Bodhi so nervous and they took deep breaths until the overwhelming feeling would end. 

Bodhi was glad he had someone like Luke in his life. 

* * *

Cassian slammed the door and threw the floor phone and shattered into pieces. Today was a bad day, and the week would follow being a bad week. It was fucking June. Half of his brain told him that he had survived a whole year with the organization — although he was in hiatus for the time being — but he knew that something bad would go and Baze would give him back his power. Or the little power that Baze still held after. But the other half of his brain told him that his wife had died that month years ago. A decade ago. 

And he was angry because Kay had called him to remind him about it. He didn’t need to be reminded of that, he knew. He knew!

He gave a few punches to the concrete wall just out anger. He punched the wall until his right hand bled. That’s when he finally calmed down. He recovered his posture and did what he did best. 

Work and be the business man. 

_Okay. Maybe — maybe one of the many reasons Cassian Andor made a whole secret operation to ship coke was anger, frustration and revenge to his whole bad luck. I dunno. We shouldn’t be focused on his mental health. We should be focused on the consequences of his mental health on the freaking world. So, strap your belt or whatever. Because half of the narcos in the eighties were fucking mental._

_And Jyn Erso somehow maintained her sanity. I wish I could’ve said the same._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Half of the time I was watching “La casa de Papel” and the other was me rocking and loving the song. So I’m sorry for the delay. I’m a very procrastinating person. Also, my anxiety has been a little too much but I’m okay now. 
> 
> This like a part one of whatever this is now. Next part features Jyn and Cassian doing some, unholy things. And Bodhi entering the action while Baze leaves it.


	31. Important!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Important stuff ⬇️⬇️⬇️

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read please

So, I have lost interest in writing this story. Because well, I got too carried away with things, I kept adding and adding stuff and forgetting my main goal.  I kept adding and adding stupid and unnecessary storyline because why not and it made no sense. It doesn’t make any sense and I didn’t think through the things I wrote, so, by now it seems like a burden this story. It seems like I’ve strayed so far from where I wanted to go in January. There’s characters that are barely developed and others that are too developed and it seems bad. So, I’m abandoning hope of trying to fix this story because there isn’t hope. 

But, however, I’m not quitting the storyline. The plot. It’s something unique and I quite like it, I have spend a lot of my time researching the Narcos to try to understand why my country is the way it is. Personally, the war on drugs has affected me, making me flee the violence of the cartels in my state and have to start a new life in Canada. Now, I do not condone the acts of violence and illegal business to get a few bucks, even if the story and movies make it seem attractive, believe, it isn’t. I am also trying to raise awareness about this ongoing war that seems to have no end, and which many people try to run away from.  

I try not to judge the Narcos when doing this story, when writing this story I try to see it from their point of view. To why they crossed the line that we would never cross, what pushed them to such things and how they cope with having such deeds in their hands. I try to see them as humans, who have emotions and feel the same way I do. And although their decisions seem extremely unjustified, to them, it’s completely justified and so I tried to see it like that. 

I’m not quitting the story but I am going to do a remake, with some big changes and some small changes. It will have a bit of tweaking and the timeline will be change to one that is closer to the truth. I am not taking out any character, but I might change their purpose in the story, however, the goal is the same. Although maybe Jyn would not be a DEA agent as I see a drug kingpin and an American agent falling in love almost near impossible thanks to diplomacy. But, I have another job which consists in helping the good guys yet having the window to make Cassian and Jyn fall in love. 

There will be some changes and I would like to address them here, as for I don’t think that I would have the space to address them in the new remake. So, here it goes. 

  * I’m going to follow the story of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, which consists in 1979-1989. I’m still going to make Cassian a cop, but he won’t hate the job—unlike how I did here. Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was a cop who became a personal bodyguard of the governor of Sinaloa and then he resigned to become a trafficker. 
  * Cassian will no longer be born the 29th December, 1952. I used that because in the movie, Cassian is 26 and I needed a date. But it seems like 26 is a very young age for such big empire and if I’m following the Narcos storyline, I have to follow the age. He will be born in 1946, still no specific date. 
  * Like the Narcos storyline and the real life ‘storyline’ of Gallardo, 1985 will be the start of his downfall. And his ultimate downfall will be set in 1989, giving me 11 years more or less to work on. 
  * Cassian will have a shady past but he was always a trafficker, even when he was a cop. That will never change. 
  * Bodhi Rook will fill the place in this story as Kiki Camarena, although, he doesn’t get as obsessed to catching Cassian or Gallardo like in real life, he will be like the patron saint for the DEA. 
  * I am still not sure if I’m making Cassian die, I am debating between letting him live and get life in prison like the real life Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo or kill him. I will try to make the future narrations as ambiguous as possible when talking about Cassian’s future until I’m decided between one of them. 
  * I will take some time jumps from time to time. Trying to make it as good as possible without prolonging it without good reason. 
  * There will be a new narrator, one that I’m also still not sure who he is, so that will stay ambiguous until I find the narrator. It will not longer be Tenoch. 
  * Galen Erso will be in the story as backstory to Jyn’s life and will serve as revenge to Cassian. 
  * Tenoch will have a new role in the remake of the story, one which had been attributed to El Azul in the previous story. 
  * Jyn, will likely be an informant, rather than a DEA agent. But will be obsessed about catching him as well, but like this, there’s an actual window of possibility to make them fall in love the most realistic way possible. 
  * I will try to switch POVs between Jyn, Cassian and other characters to make it as rich as possible. 
  * I will give more time to the DEA as well, and show more or the corruption behind what Cassian has achieve. 
  * The chapters will now be more or less 3,000 to 6,500 words long. 
  * I will put the dates in the beginning of the story to give us the information necessary about the story. 
  * Cassian and Jyn will not meet immediately. When Jyn will come, Cassian’s empire will be not be new. It will be more or less there. Cassian would be running it for at least two years. 
  * Baze still brings the character of Don Neto and Kay will be of Caro Quintero.
  * Just like in the real life, Operation Leyenda will take place and just like in real life, there will be a special team of agents to try and take down Cassian, and I’m planning on making the Operation be called Rogue One and the team be called Rogue Squadron. 
  * Even though I will follow the storyline of Narcos: Mexico, I will also ‘steal’ some stuff from the previous series Narcos. There will be little and sometimes faintly references of scenes that happened with Pablo Escobar and the Orejuela brothers. 
  * I’m going to translate the Spanish of the story to English. 
  * Cassian will probably have a kid _before_ he met Jyn, just because I think that helps to ease the flow of the story.
  * Luke Skywalker, Wedge Antilles, Leia Organa, Bodhi Rook, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mon Mothma and possibly Draven will be part of the DEA. 
  * Han Solo, Kes Dameron, Ruescott Melshi, Orson Krennic, Tarkin and Galen Erso will be part of the Narcos. 
  * There will be flashbacks. 
  * The title won’t change name.
  * The summary won’t either.
  * There will be a prologue and an epilogue. 
  * I will try to have an update schedule so my updates won’t be infrequent and messy. 
  * There will be playlists. 
  * The main protagonists will be Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, Kay Tuesso, Baze Malbus, Chirrut Îmwe, Bodhi Rook and Tenoch Andor. 
  * There will be rape or attempted rape warnings. 



If you have any other idea, or any suggestion to what you want to see please comment. If you have a question please don’t hesitate to comment it. I will try to listen to every single one them. The remake will be coming possibly this Fall. (Mid-October or something close to that). 


End file.
